In the most recent episode of the BBC's Documentary series, Follow the Food, Harvest Program Director Dr. Inbal Becker-Reshef sat down with botanist James Wong to discuss satellite data applications in support of better informed farming decisions.
Dr. Becker-Reshef describes how satellite data provide an extra layer of information beyond the visible spectrum, with the ability to alert farmers of potential issues in their fields well in advance of a food disaster. NASA's investment in satellite Earth observing systems over the past several decades has propelled agricultural monitoring forward, with recent technological advancements providing advanced capabilities for agricultural monitoring worldwide throughout the growing seasons.
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Achievements and Results of the Inaugural Program on Agricultural Estimations and New Technologies
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The Bolsa de Cereales worked for many months developing this high school educational activity as part of the region’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, bringing on NASA Harvest as a partner organization to help implement the course. A focal point of the program is the importance of sustainability in agriculture and the role of remotely sensed satellite data in agricultural monitoring. The inaugural year was extremely successful, with plans to expand the program in the coming years.
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In response to the Russian incursion of Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022, the NASA Harvest consortium is investigating potential food supply chain disruptions. As regions of conflict may become difficult to reach and food availability more complicated to evaluate, remotely sensed satellite data can help to fill data gaps and better paint the overall picture of potential food supply chain issues.
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Harvest's Markets and Trade Co-Lead, and former Chief Economist of the USDA, Dr. Joseph Glauber discusses how Russia's invasion of Ukraine could potentially impact global food supply and prices. Dr. Glauber points out that, when combined with the ongoing complications of the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain issues, Russian activity will likely impact grain exports from both Ukraine and Russia.
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The Lead of Harvest’s Africa Program, Dr. Catherine Nakalembe was recently awarded the Golden Jubilee Medal, the highest Civilian Honor available to citizens of Uganda. Combining remote sensing data and machine learning methods with local collaboration, Nakalembe is leading efforts in revolutionizing agriculture and improving food security across a number of African countries.
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NASA Harvest and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are pleased to announce GEO-CropSim, a modeling framework for assessing water use and simulating crop yields at the regional level. GEO-CropSim uses satellite imagery, climate data, and farm management information to estimate crop yields and water consumption at a high spatial resolution.
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The Program Director of NASA Harvest, Dr. Inbal Becker-Reshef, spoke about the agricultural applications of remote sensing as part of the NASA Goddard Seminar Series. Dr. Becker-Reshef also stressed the importance of transitioning research into operations through the development of end user systems and stakeholder partnerships.
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The University of Maryland is looking for an Assistant Professor experienced in remote sensing and applying satellite data to Earth System Science. The position will be part of the University's new Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing and has an expected start date of August 2022. Candidates with background experience in SAR remote sensing, hyperspectral remote sensing, and remote sensing fusion are encouraged, though all backgrounds will be considered. Further the position encourages experience in machine learning and data analysis as it applies to remote sensing data. Interested applicants can learn more about the position here.
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Interested applicants are invited to apply for an open position at Tetra Tech. The job posting is for a Data and Analytics Staff Associate in the Agriculture and Economic Growth sector. The opening is an early career position that combines project management, advanced data analytics, and the use of remote sensing technology with a focus on agriculture. Information including qualifications and requirements is here.
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Harvest looks forward to contributing several presentations and partner-led demo sessions on EO data applications for improved agricultural understanding to the inaugural NASA booth at the upcoming 2022 Commodity Classic. The Commodity Classic is America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show, providing a unique opportunity to engage with end users and share our many satellite-based innovations to agriculture.
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NASA’s Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) is hosting a 3-part online training on the tracking of emissions and removals of carbon dioxide and methane from the atmosphere. The training is in support of the 2023 Global Stocktake – an effort by parties to the Paris Agreement to compile national inventories of GHG budgets. At the end of the training, participants will be able to describe how CO2 and methane budgets are derived using atmospheric measurements and explore the data and products necessary to model these budgets.
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