When the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, orbited the Earth in 1963, there were only three active Earth observation satellites. Today, the number is 114 times greater. With more and better satellites, the impacts of advances in the space sector are particularly evident in agriculture, where space data improves insights into the individual components of these landscapes (land, water and forests), as well as their interconnections.
Sixty years since Valentina Tereshkova, women continue to play crucial roles in food production worldwide. In the Asia-Pacific region, two out of five agriculture workers are women. While they face disproportionate impacts from climate change, they are also driving climate solutions. How are they benefitting from the growing capability of the space sector to support agriculture?
YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkAXdPQvb6M
The importance of promoting and enhancing women’s participation in using space applications for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction was underscored in the 2018 Ministerial Declaration on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. Guided by this aspiration, the United Nations’ regional commission, ESCAP, is actively working to help countries in the region advance gender inclusivity by ensuring that at least 30 per cent of participants in its capacity building activities on space applications are women.
While these gender inclusivity efforts are an important step, more needs to be done to make available space data accessible, affordable, and actionable.
Accessible: The percentage of women using the Internet in Asia and the Pacific stands at 63 per cent compared to 69 per cent of men. Closing this gender digital divide is indispensable towards enhancing women’s access to new information, skills and knowledge that could help them manage the impacts of climate on their livelihood resources (land, water, forest). Targeted support to community-centered connectivity projects can complement broader policy actions and infrastructure development.
Affordable: Making space data affordable for women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can unleash product innovation and create opportunities for growth. One example is the Australia Space Data Analysis Facility which enhances the ability of SMEs to use Earth observation data by facilitating access to analysis-ready data and uptake of space data analytics, along with training, tools, and access to expertise.
Actionable: Geolocation can aid in developing locally relevant solutions. However, it is seldom sufficient considering that men and women experience the impacts of climate change differently and have unequal capacities to adapt. Engaging local women’s networks in tailoring solutions to the specific needs and contexts of women in different communities is key to making space data actionable. The experience of the space agency of Thailand in promoting Dragonfly amongst its community of users demonstrates that women farmers are more likely to use space data when it is integrated with socio-economic information that provides multi-dimensional perspectives for farm-level decision-making.
The 2024 edition of ESCAP’s Compendium of Geospatial Practices for Sustainable Development contains examples of how space applications are used to boost crop monitoring and forecasting capabilities, increase precision and production efficiency, and enable adaptation to climate change. CropWatch, a cloud-based platform developed by Chinese scientists integrates time-series remote-sensing data from multiple sources to monitor crop production and forecast trends. In Japan, a cloud-based service uses satellite and drone imagery to monitor crop growth and determine optimal harvest times allowing farmers to monitor crop health, increase yields, improve food quality, and reduce waste. In Mongolia, Earth observation data are used to provide crop productivity information throughout the growing season using cloud platform technology.
In terms of land management, the UralGIS agro-monitoring system in the Russian Federation uses satellite imagery to optimize agricultural land use. This system forms part of the unified federal information system and aids in determining plot boundaries and their agricultural suitability, enhancing land management through cadastral registration and 3D mapping for landscape analysis. The Forest Geospatial Information System of the Republic of Korea is an example of how a spatial data infrastructure can underpin a forest management approach that balances environmental, economic, and social considerations.
These space applications have a remarkable potential for empowering women to thrive amidst a changing climate. Gender-responsive climate actions will take center stage at the COP29 this November as world leaders gather in Azerbaijan to raise collective ambitions. Sixty years since the first woman went to space, it is time to double down efforts and ensure that women farmers also benefit from space-driven innovations – empowering them to play an active role in shaping climate solutions.
Authors:
- Xinyi Qu, Intern, ESCAP
- Kareff Rafisura, Economic Affairs Officer, ESCAP,
- Gomer Padong, Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia
Relevant SDGS:
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 13: Climate Action
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