WaPOR
Remote sensing water productivity platform
DescriptionOverview of the initiative and its approach.
WaPOR is a remote sensing and open-access platform developed by FAO to monitor and report on agricultural water productivity at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The platform is designed as a decision-support and analytics tool for sustainable water management, food security, and climate resilience in agriculture.
TechnologyTechnology used by the initiative.
WaPOR is accessible through any browser as a platform which makes available remote-sensing-derived geospatial layers and time series, including evapotranspiration, biomass and water productivity indicators. The platform supports visualization, area statistics, time-series analysis and data download, and also provides tools such as pyWaPOR to generate higher-resolution datasets outside the standard coverage.
TargetUsers, groups, or communities targeted by the initiative.
Primary users include public institutions responsible for water and agriculture planning, researchers and technical organizations, and advisory services supporting irrigation management and water accounting. Phase 2 is described as demand-driven, with country-level applications co-developed with national stakeholders.
Business modelHow the initiative delivers and sustains its value.
WaPOR is funded through donor support and implemented by FAO with partners. The portal provides open-access datasets and tools without user fees, while project resources support data production, platform maintenance, and country-level capacity development and applications.
ImpactThe observed or intended effects of the initiative.
WaPOR aims to support monitoring agricultural water consumption and productivity through open, satellite-derived information. Phase 2 (starting 1 January 2021 for five years) focuses on demand-driven country applications and capacity development in partner countries, including integration of WaPOR outputs into workflows such as water accounting and planning.
PartnersOrganizations and stakeholders involved in the initiative.
IHE Delft; eLEAF; University of Twente; International Water Management Institute (IWMI); National ministries and agencies in partner countries
Four BettersThe FAO Four Betters supported by the initiative.
Better environment
Better life
