Description
The Earth Map is a web platform, facilitated by technical cooperation and support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), that serves as a resource to inform about agricultural policies at the national level and adapt local agricultural production strategies to the challenges posed by climate change. The platform ensures widespread access to spatial data, catering to various stakeholders such as institutions, farmers, scientists, and the general public. Its distinctive trait lies in fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among diverse groups, promoting a holistic approach to data-driven decision-making in agriculture. The benefits are multifaceted, including improved national and local-level agricultural planning, enhanced resilience to climate change impacts, and informed policymaking.
Technology
The Earth Map web platform’s functionality is based on the big data capabilities of Google Earth Engine, enabling users to undertake complex analysis of earth observation, environmental and climate data in a simple way. It’s a multi-language platform. Earth Map data is divided into thematic groups (climate, geo-social, vegetation, land degradation neutrality, water, satellite imagery, land cover/land use, forestry, fire, geophysics, soil and biodiversity) and allows the user to visualize the layers (maps) and generate statistics to describe the areas of interest. It thus gives users a temporal (access to time series data) and spatial (map visualization) perspective of their areas of interest. Google Earth Engine (a cloud service with access to petabytes of information) gives Earth Map the capacity to perform on-the-fly statistics on several metrics such as temperature, precipitation, burned areas, tree-covered area, among others. These statistics can be performed on any device in seconds, regardless of the computing power of the device. Statistics can be collected in different time frames (annual, monthly averages and monthly time series) and different time periods.
Target
The main users of the Earth Map web platform are institutions, farmers, scientists, and the general public. Users can access the Earth Map via their Google account, private email, or anonymously.
Business model
The Earth Map web platform is a free tool. Users can access the data and information freely. The platform was funded by the government and FAO to enhance food security and support informed decision-making. Through this tool, all institutions, farmers, scientists and the general public have access to national and international spatial data for the country.
Impact
The Earth Map initiative in North Macedonia fosters informed decision-making at national and local levels. It stands as a key player in adapting local agriculture to climate change, promoting resilience in the face of environmental challenges. Policymakers benefit from valuable insights, contributing to the formulation of effective and targeted policies. The initiative's collaborative approach encourages knowledge sharing among stakeholders, creating a more interconnected agricultural community. With widespread access to spatial data, the initiative promotes sustainability and inclusive development in the agricultural sector.
Partners
FAO; Google Earth Engine;
Four Betters
Better production
