Metrics to Accelerate Private Sector Investment in Sustainable Development Goal 2—Zero Hunger

Molly E Brown

doi:10.3390/su13115967

Abstract

Substantial investment from both the private and public sectors will be needed to achieve the ambitious Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2), which focuses on ending poverty and achieving zero hunger. To harness the private sector, high quality, transparent metrics are needed to ensure that every dollar spent reaches the most marginalized segments of a community while still helping institutions achieve their goals. Satellite-derived Earth observations will be instrumental in accelerating these investments and targeting them to the regions with the greatest need. This article proposes two quantitative metrics that could be used to evaluate the impact of private sector activities on SDG2: measuring increases in yield over baseline and ensuring input availability and affordability in all markets.

Highlights

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United NationsMember countries in 2015 as a universal call to end poverty and protect the planet by2030
United Nations estimates for investment to achieve these goals for low income countries range from $3 to $5 trillion per year [2]
To harness the private sector, high quality, transparent metrics are needed to ensure that every dollar spent reaches the most marginalized segments of a community while still

Summary

Introduction

Member countries in 2015 as a universal call to end poverty and protect the planet by. Metrics on yields must be able to capture climatic, economic and social outcomes of investment and changes of policy through time [23], and show clearly how new agriculture management strategies, technology and interventions can counter these pests while still reducing poverty and food insecurity (Table S1) [12]. Satellite remote sensing data can be used at each stage of the agriculture value chain, but needs to be connected with high quality, spatially explicit, regularly updated field data obtained from growers that captures agricultural activities to transform it into useful metrics [24] New initiatives such as the EO4SD, funded by the European Space Agency, are focused on supporting the uptake of remote sensing data in sustainable development [25]. Big data approaches provide the opportunity to combine satellite remote sensing with legal, economic and food security outcomes in new and novel ways, leveraging improved computing power and machine learning techniques [26]

Metric to Estimate Market Size to Guide Investment

Metric

Findings

Conclusions