Nearly one in 10 people globally were exposed to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019, according to the United Nations (UN).
The vulnerabilities and inadequacies of global food systems are expected to further intensify over the coming years.
Through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, the UN proposes to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. A critical aspect of this goal is monitoring food production and implementing agricultural practices that increase production while also maintaining ecosystems and strengthening the capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, invasive species, and other disasters. NASA Earth observations are an integral component in providing data necessary to assess progress towards achieving these goals.
Through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, the UN proposes to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. A critical aspect of this goal is monitoring food production and implementing agricultural practices that increase production while also maintaining ecosystems and strengthening the capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, invasive species, and other disasters. NASA Earth observations are an integral component in providing data necessary to assess progress towards achieving these goals.
This false-color Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image acquired on December 26, 2018, highlights the patchwork of flooded rice fields along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers in California, USA. Inundated fields are shown in dark blue; vegetation is bright green. A series of raised levees form the grid pattern between the fields. This image was acquired using a combination of shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light (bands 6-5-4). Image: NASA Earth Observatory.
SDG Goals are divided into broad Targets that are further divided into Indicators used to track progress toward accomplishing the Targets. NASA collects and analyzes data about our home planet applicable to agriculture and food production and makes these data fully and openly available to anyone. These data are helping us develop a better understanding of the connections between food production and land cover, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, the water cycle, temperature, and weather.
NASA helps develop tools to address food security and works with decision-makers and data users to tailor these tools to specific locations and user needs. These efforts help address issues like water management for irrigation, crop-type identification and land use, coastal and lake water quality monitoring, drought preparedness, and famine early warnings. Much of this work is carried out and supported fully or in part by the agency’s Applied Sciences Program, which works with individuals and institutions worldwide to inform decision-making, enhance quality of life, and strengthen our economy. The Applied Sciences Program co-leads the international Earth Observations for Sustainable Development Goals initiative launched by the Group on Earth Observations. The initiative advances global knowledge about effective ways that Earth observations and geospatial information can support the SDGs.
The data and resources in this Pathfinder are specifically related to SDG 2 Targets 2.1, 2.3, and 2.4 (described below). Additional information about NASA data and products related to agriculture, water resources, and similar topics is available in the Agriculture and Water Resources Data Pathfinder.
