Agriculture & Land, Food & Water Security

Food and water are basic human needs, but 1 in 3 people on Earth don’t have enough to eat and nearly 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with feces. Even in developed countries, chronic lack of food and water can lead individuals to experience depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

But satellites located hundreds of miles above Earth’s soil can help by providing scientists with critical data relevant to agriculture. For example, Digital Earth Africa is a growing platform used by government and industry leaders to access and analyze satellite imagery. DE Africa helps track flooding, drought, water quality, soil erosion, forest cover, land use, and changes to human settlements in order to better inform decision-making. This program increases GDP, improves quality of life, and saves lives.

The ongoing development of satellites collecting agricultural data is essential for vulnerable communities around the world to address food security and water access issues. Space matters.

References:

1. NASA: Improving Food Security Through Capacity Building

2. World Health Organization: Drinking Water

3. Feeding America: 3 devastating effects of hunger on the body

4. Digital Earth Africa

5. Digital Earth Africa: Impact Stories