Leveraging space technology for agricultural development and food security
“Leveraging space technology for agricultural development and food security” is a joint FAO and UNOOSA technical resource designed to present the current applications of space technology, particularly satellite imagery and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), in agriculture. The publication explains that satellite imagery and GNSS data provide high-resolution information essential for precision agriculture, effective water management, crop monitoring and accurate weather forecasting, thereby supporting informed decision-making and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. The document highlights that space technology enables the monitoring, analysing and managing of agricultural activities, land use and environmental conditions for various applications, including precision agriculture, pest and disease control, soil fertility management and sustainable land-use planning.
Description
“Leveraging space technology for agricultural development and food security” is a joint FAO and UNOOSA technical resource designed to present the current applications of space technology, particularly satellite imagery and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), in agriculture. The publication explains that satellite imagery and GNSS data provide high-resolution information essential for precision agriculture, effective water management, crop monitoring and accurate weather forecasting, thereby supporting informed decision-making and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. The document highlights that space technology enables the monitoring, analysing and managing of agricultural activities, land use and environmental conditions for various applications, including precision agriculture, pest and disease control, soil fertility management and sustainable land-use planning.
Technology
The publication describes the use of Earth observation satellites equipped with optical, hyperspectral, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors. These geospatial technologies were described to be applicable in monitoring crop health, soil conditions, water resources, and environmental factors. The publication also describes the integration of satellite, aerial, and ground-based data into agricultural monitoring systems. Such data integration highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data analytics in processing large volumes of geospatial data into actionable agricultural information.
Target
The resource is particularly useful for government institutions, policymakers, agricultural authorities, research institutions and scientific communities involved in agricultural planning, monitoring and food security decision-making. Similarly, the document can be effective for researchers handling projects about geospatial applications for agriculture and sustainable development.
Business model
The document is published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs as a fully open-access technical publication and is made available free of charge for public use, education and knowledge sharing. It has been downloaded 1 220 times as of December 2025.
Impact
The publication reports that over 17 000 satellites have been launched since the beginning of the space age and that more than 2 900 new satellites were placed into orbit in 2023 alone, significantly increasing access to Earth observation data. The publication also reports that the FAO Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform integrates over 2 million layers of open-access geospatial and agricultural statistics data and supports more than 70 member countries, strengthening data-driven agricultural decision-making and food security planning.
Partners
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA); Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)
Four Betters
Better environment
Better life
Better production
