Elements for Life

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measurements, they also use normalized difference vegetation

index (NDVI) measurements to assess the impact of rain on

local vegetation. NDVI data derived from satellites measure

the photosynthetic activity resulting from vegetation growth

that occurs as a result of rainfall, and are an important source

of information for FEWS NET.

Because they measure very

different things, both variables continue to be of value to

hazard identification.

Members of the many FEWS NET organizations teleconfer-

ence weekly to discuss and identify potential flood and drought

hazards, and then prepare and issue weekly weather hazard

reports, which are posted on the FEWS NET site.

These reports

are delivered to a large local, regional, and international audi-

ence in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and in the United States.

They provide information that indicates where more intense,

on-the-ground monitoring should occur. The weekly weather

hazard discussions are led by the meteorologists at NOAA’s

Climate Prediction Center, and guided by FEWS NET food secu-

rity experts who orient hazard discussion towards identifying

its affect on local livelihoods.

By collaborating with scientists from NOAA, NASA and

USGS, as well as with FEWS regional and country represen-

tatives and the USGS FEWS NET regional representatives,

expert FEWS personnel work together to determine the

impact of these weather hazards on local communities. This

is done using a livelihoods-based analysis system that provides

the framework for interpretation of routine monitoring data,

for example rainfall, vegetation, crop production, and market

prices. These monitoring data are valuable indicators of food

security, but it is difficult to link changes in these indicators

to changes in the food security status of affected households.

Using remote sensing data constructively in a complex

environment

The FEWS NET activity is on its fifth reauthorisation at

USAID, and in the next phase FEWS NET will be charged

with continuing its current activities, expanding its

geographic scope, and increasing the types of issues it reports

on. This extraordinary length of experience coupled with the

diversity of its interagency and international partners make

the FEWS NET project worthy of study. Although FEWS NET

is unable to solve the underlying structural and fundamental

problems of the humanitarian and development sector, it

plays a key role in helping to prevent people from perishing

in crises, and ensuring that these crises are not ignored by

the wider world.

The need for FEWS NET reporting is projected to continue

to increase, and as it does it is crucial that the information

and presentation of its decision support analysis be as audi-

ence-focused as possible. In many regions, FEWS NET is

operating in a continually worsening environment, where

environmental hazards, increasing populations, and declining

investment in local data and information gathering, holding

and reporting activities result in increased reliance on outside

sources of information. Working in concert with multiple

governmental and non-governmental development agencies,

FEWS NET continues to play a key role in information gath-

ering and distribution for early warning of food insecurity in

the regions in which it works. The credibility of the infor-

mation it produces is one of FEWS NET’s primary assets in

its role of consensus building. Remote sensing information

and analysis remains at the centre of these efforts, as it is the

foundation upon which FEWS NET’s hazard identification

and food production analysis rests.

Examples of satellite contributions to

humanitarian action

There are numerous examples that demonstrate how data from

Earth-observing satellites have been used in data-sparse regions

of the Earth, improving estimates of food aid needs in vulner-

able areas. The following are some brief examples of the

existing products that have contributed to decision support.

Snow depth for water available for irrigation – The product

is used in estimating irrigated water supply and ultimately

food security for the northern regions of Afghanistan. Due to

an early melt of the snow pack in the spring of 2006, food

prices increased significantly in northern Afghanistan follow-

ing the harvest. Coupled with a shortage of animal food,

livestock prices have decreased by 30-40 per cent in the north-

western provinces. These factors together have increased food

insecurity, and the remote sensing data has provided a good

understanding of what was happening in an otherwise inac-

cessible region.

Extreme rainfall impacts on crop production in Honduras –

NASA data informs hazard analysis in Honduras, a country

that is very vulnerable to severe tropical weather. Basic grains,

African palm, banana trees, and sugar cane are particularly at

risk from damage caused by heavy rainfall throughout the

country. Immediate hazards to citizens from floods and land-

slides are also monitored. Heavy rains increase the risk of crop

plagues and disease (such as oidium) which can result in crop

losses between 25 and 30 per cent.

Crop production monitoring using MODIS data – MODIS

anomalies from a five-year mean are used to estimate crop

production anomalies and pasture deficits in semi-arid regions

of West Africa. The five-year mean from 16-31 October 2006

in West Africa indicated strongly positive conditions enabling

a recovery of food insecure regions of Niger.

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Year

CFAF

Kg Millet per Goat

Jan Feb Mar Apr

May Jun Jul

Millet price (100kg)

Goat price (1 goat)

Ratio Goat/Millet

Analysis of the terms of trade for pastoralists and farmers in Niger

seeking to sell livestock to augment food supplies

Source: NASA