Satellite technologies in food security assessment

Until recently this area of research was an exclusive prerogative of a limited group of remote sensing and geospatial experts. However, the latest computer achievements made the benefits and technology of satellite inquiry manageable by policy- and decision makers.

This project aims to contribute to food security assessment initiatives by investigating application of satellite technologies in agricultural management and monitoring in Eastern Europe. The project will run a pilot case study on monitoring cropland condition in a selected agricultural region using satellite data. Several parameters defining crop health and supporting crop monitoring will be assessed (overgrown areas detection, wet and chlorophyll content assessment, crop identification, etc). Analysis of the obtained data would allow identifying crop parcels requiring farmers’ attention and intervention to secure greater crop productivity and greater food security.

This project will utilize the most commonly used and publicly accessible free data (e.g. Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8).

A series of maps will be produced identifying problematic areas of cropland requiring attention and intervention by farm management to increase crop yields and food security. As another project outcome, a spatial model for automatic satellite data processing will be developed and made available for other researchers. The model could be used for various crops, and correspondingly, food security assessment at other sites within the region and worldwide. The developed algorithm could be easily replicated at any other farming site in other regions at limited or no costs.

The project will lay the foundation for future CEU research activities in food security assessment and using satellite technologies in achieving SDGs for researchers not specializing in remote sensing and geospatial technologies. Developed materials will be used for enriching CEU curricula and show feasibility of such research for CEU core expertise areas. Using the obtained results, tutorials on application of geospatial technologies in relevant areas will be compiled to stimulate interest within CEU community and to enrich CEU curricula in environmental sciences and public policy.