Hydrologic and Agricultural Earth Observations and Modeling for the Water-Food Nexus

Amy Mcnally,Sean Mccartney,Iliana E Mladenova,Alex C Ruane,Inbal Becker-Reshef,John D Bolten,Stephanie Schollaert Uz,Cynthia Rosenzweig,Alyssa K Whitcraft,Christa D Peters-Lidard

doi:10.3389/fenvs.2019.00023

Abstract

In a globalizing and rapidly-developing world, reliable, sustainable access to water and food are inextricably linked to each other and basic human rights. Achieving security and sustainability in both requires recognition of these linkages, as well as continued innovations in both science and policy. We present case studies of how Earth observations are being used in applications at the nexus of water and food security: crop monitoring in support of G20 global market assessments, water stress early warning for USAID, soil moisture monitoring for USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, and identifying food security vulnerabilities for climate change assessments for the UN and the UK international development agency. These case studies demonstrate that Earth observations are essential for providing the data and scalability to monitor relevant indicators across space and time, as well as understanding agriculture, the hydrological cycle, and the water-food nexus. The described projects follow the guidelines for co-developing useable knowledge for sustainable development policy. We show how working closely with stakeholders is essential for transforming NASA Earth observations into accurate, timely, and relevant information for water-food nexus decision support. We conclude with recommendations for continued efforts in using Earth observations for addressing the water-food nexus and the need to incorporate the role of energy for improved food and water security assessments

Highlights

In a globalizing and rapidly-developing world, reliable and sustainable access to water, food, and energy are inextricably linked to each other and basic human rights
These case studies demonstrate the value of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth science data through applications activities and are key examples of translating satellite data into actionable information and knowledge used to inform policy and enhance decision-making
One of the key lessons learned from these case studies is that given the complexity of problems that span the water-food nexus the partnerships between Earth observations (EO) producers and end-users is critical for ensuring that EO data is applied appropriately to maximize its utility for decision support. Given these experiences we make the following actionable recommendations for other researchers interested in producing information for addressing the water-food nexus, and sustainable development policy guided by the literature on the co-development of useable knowledge for sustainability

Summary

Introduction

In a globalizing and rapidly-developing world, reliable and sustainable access to water, food, and energy are inextricably linked to each other and basic human rights. These case studies demonstrate the value of NASA Earth science data through applications activities and are key examples of translating satellite data into actionable information and knowledge used to inform policy and enhance decision-making. One of the key lessons learned from these case studies is that given the complexity of problems that span the water-food nexus the partnerships between EO producers and end-users is critical for ensuring that EO data is applied appropriately to maximize its utility for decision support.

Results

Conclusion