Editorial: Use of Earth Observations for Actionable Decision Making in the Developing World

• Published in: Frontiers in environmental science Vol. 8
• Main Authors: Hanan, Niall P., Limaye, Ashutosh S., Irwin, Daniel E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Frontiers Research Foundation 27.11.2020; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agriculture; applied research; Community; Decision making; Developing countries; Earth Observation; Economic models; Emergency preparedness; Environmental assessment; Environmental conditions; Environmental science; Food security; Geographic information systems; Hydrology; Introduced species; Invasive plants; Invasive species; Land use; LDCs; Management decisions; Natural resources; Nonnative species; Rangelands; Remote regions; Rural areas; satellite data; Satellites; Science; SERVIR; Stakeholders; Stream flow; Sustainability; sustainable development; Southeast Asia; United States > US; West Africa; Hindu Kush; East Africa
• ISSN: 2296-665X; 2296-665X
• DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2020.601340

SERVIR is a joint initiative of NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) which fosters applications of EO to help developing countries assess environmental conditions to improve planning and management interventions. Tiwari et al. presented methodologies using Earth Engine and satellite data to map irrigated and rain-fed wheat in Afghanistan, providing a tool for crop area estimation critical for yield forecasting and food security planning in remote regions. [...]Ouko et al. demonstrated an approach to mapping and modeling invasive plants in the ecologically, economically, and culturally valuable rangelands of East Africa, using cell-phone based citizen scientist inputs on invasive plant locations, satellite, and GIS data, to map the presence and spread of invasive species. Responsiveness to the specific needs of different stakeholders, based on local economic, cultural, and environmental conditions is especially important, because EO applications then have a higher chance of achieving real impact for local land users or via sustainable policy interventions.