NASA Harvest

Check out our September newsletter! ?? https://conta.cc/4dFGeCH Learn about our recent work using Earth Observation data to map artillery craters and track unexploded ordnance in Ukraine; how El Ni?o can give early warning of crop failures; and our NASA Harvest Latin America initiative!

Congrats to Alyssa Whitcraft, the Director of our sister consortium NASA Acres! Whitcraft has been awarded the University of Maryland's prestigious Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty. This honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to research in satellite remote sensing for agriculture.

Calling all innovators! You can use NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration data to address?real world issues we face on Earth & in space. Tackle one of the 20 challenges written by NASA subject-matter experts at this year’s NASA Space Apps challenge on October 5-6! NASA Acres ??https://bit.ly/3McTfsi

"Extreme weather is one of the primary drivers of crop failures around the world. Crop failures – the total or near-total loss of a farm or region’s crops – greatly reduce the availability of food and can have dire consequences for food security. They also reduce the need for agricultural labor, cutting off critical income streams for farm workers and further exacerbating food insecurity. As a result, predicting such crop failures is a crucial component of food security early-warning systems." NASA Harvest's Weston Anderson writes in Carbon Brief that El Ni?o forecasts are able to give early warning of crop failures. Recent research shows that, in some locations, crop yield shocks can be predicted more than six months ahead of time and – in certain cases – before a crop is even planted. Read more about these findings here ?? https://lnkd.in/e4H___zh

With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia causing disruptions to agricultural production, it is vital to understand how cropland is being impacted and the resulting effects on crop yields. Earlier this year, researchers with the NASA Harvest Consortium released a new method to map sunflower cropland using Earth observation radar satellites. That workflow was used to produce a high resolution (20 m) map of sunflower cropland across Ukraine. The resulting map of sunflower planted area has allowed for enhanced insights into sunflower production across the country, specifically how it has changed in the aftermath of the Russian invasion. Read More ?? https://lnkd.in/erfyEZ_d

We are ? so proud ? to celebrate Dr. Alyssa Whitcraft, who was awarded the University of Maryland's prestigious Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty. This honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to research in satellite remote sensing for agriculture, both domestically and worldwide. ?? ?? As the former Deputy Director of NASA Harvest, a consortium that advances the adoption of Earth observations (EO) to benefit global food security, Dr. Whitcraft played a key role in the development of the Consortium from the ground up. Building on her success, Alyssa continues to lead in her role with NASA Acres, focusing on bridging cutting-edge #space technology with practical applications in U.S. #agriculture. ?She is also recognized for founding and directing the Harvest Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture Initiative (SARA), which unites key stakeholders to build a robust evidence base for #SARA practices through the innovative use of EO data. Tatiana Loboda, Professor and Chair of the , praised Alyssa’s achievements, stating: "Her commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and mentoring the next generation of scientists has had a profound impact on our department, the university community, and the field of geographical sciences." We extend our sincere gratitude to the University of Maryland, President Darryll Pines, and Provost Jennifer Rice for recognizing Dr. Whitcraft with this well-deserved honor! ?? Photo Credit: University of Maryland

A recent report by Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) warns of potential food insecurity across Southern Africa caused by El Nino-driven drought and conflict in parts of the region. FEWS NET is projecting food assistance needs to exceed 30 million people from October 2024 to March 2025, an increase of 50% compared to the same period last year. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eh--arRD

In this presentation, watch Inbal Becker-Reshef from NASA Harvest demonstrate how remote sensing and Earth observation technologies enhance yield prediction, inform policy responses, and strengthen global food system resilience. We are delighted to welcome Inbal back to #WorldAgriTech, connect with her in London later this month: https://bit.ly/4dG68Xl

We are so excited to collaborate with Mathematica! By combining their deep evaluation & policy analysis expertise with our Earth observation-based evidence of climate impacts on agriculture, we can better understand effective intervention strategies & strengthen climate adaptation evidence. https://t.co/voiuv5ajwz

Have you checked out the GEOGLAM Crop Monitor's latest report? GEOGLAM (Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring)'s Crop Monitor provides a monthly, science-driven, comprehensive global overview of consensus crop conditions for all monitored regions and crops. Check out their newest report (and more than a decade of archived reports!) at https://lnkd.in/egPSK9Zh!