CEOS participation in GEOGLAM Timothy Stryker CEOS Executive Officer Yves Crevier

1. CEOS participation in GEOGLAM Timothy Stryker CEOS Executive Officer Yves Crevier Canadian Space Agency

2. Purpose • To provide CEOS SIT members with information on the GEOGLAM initiative; • To facilitate a CEOS decision on suggested partnership with GEOGLAM during its initial implementation phase. • Reference documents • SIT-27 Background Paper on GEOGLAM • G20 Ministerial Declaration on Food Price Volatility and Agriculture • Draft March 19 GEOGLAM Work Plan – w/CEOS edits

3. CEOS Context 2011 CEOS Lucca Statement “CEOS Agencies have decided at the recent plenary in Lucca to focus on the following priority initiatives which will constitute the core of their program for the years ahead: • ... • The definition and implementation of new activities in support of sustainable development and environmental management • The Joint Experiment for Crop Agricultural Monitoring (JECAM) and a potential response to G20 requirements for Global Agricultural Monitoring, as part of hunger relief and food security initiatives… • ...”

4. GEOGLAM Overview • Goal: Improve operational global and national crop production estimates using EO data and their timely dissemination • Desired Outcome: An improved and more harmonized system of systems taking advantage of new satellite assets and a higher level of international coordination • Basically, GEOGLAM is the means to implement the vision of the GEO Agricultural Monitoring Task AG-01 (Global Agricultural Monitoring and Early Warning)

5. GEOGLAM Assumptions - Enhanced Ag Monitoring Ensuring the full and open exchange of timely data and information about crop status, crop yield forecasts and food-commodity supply predictions can lower uncertainty and increase the transparency of global food supply. Enhanced understanding of global production would contribute to reduced price volatility by allowing local, national and international operators to make decisions and anticipate market trends with reduced uncertainty. These developments would improve national agricultural policies and further the cause of food security.

6. Background Relevance of GEO-GLAM It is assumed that a better monitoring process, using satellite based and in-situ data, contributed and shared under a transparent framework, would have an influence on: • Markets (Economic) • Confidence and transparency to promote a well-functioning commodities market • Inform international trade policies and strategies (trade restrictions/subsidies) • Guide investments and partnerships (where and in what to invest to effectively increase food output) • Food Aid (Humanitarian) • Help to identify, respond and avert food crises • Mobilize timely food aid to at-risk areas • Improved national agricultural policies, particularly for developing countries • National Security • Prevent potential food shortages from triggering/exacerbating civil unrest in at-risk regions (e.g., 2008 food crisis triggered food riots in 40 countries) • Better national monitoring systems  increased international market confidence and food security Adapted from Justice, 2012, GEOGLAM Workplan Workshop

7. Ongoing Policy Framework • Under France’s G20 Presidency, the Agricultural Ministers Action Plan on Food Price Volatility and Agriculture in (ref 1) Calls for: • Wide-ranging cooperation to address the issues of food price volatility, agricultural productivity, and food security. • A combination of enhanced cooperation among existing programs, and new initiatives to ensure a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply for the World’s population. • A key goal under Mexico’s G20 Presidency is “Enhancing food security and addressing commodity price volatility…” • GEOGLAM Work Plan (see draft Ref 3) will be provided to a G20 Agricultural Preparatory Meeting of experts in Mexico in mid-April • GEO representatives Jose Achache (GEO Secretariat) and Pascal Kosuth (Cemagref) will participate • 4. Aggressive Development Schedule in Accordance with G20 Guidance

8. GEOGLAM Workplan Components • Enhancing global agricultural system; • Building capacity at national level to utilize Earth observation; • Supporting monitoring of countries at risk to improve food security; • Improved coordination of Earth observations for agricultural monitoring; • Coordinating R&D in support of improved operational agricultural monitoring; • Disseminating data products and information.

9. Workplan Component – Earth Observation • Improved coordination of satellite observations for agricultural monitoring • Activity 4-1: Development of a coordinated observation strategy • Activity 4-2: Development of tools, systems and guidelines • Activity 4-3: Implementation of the data acquisition strategy and dissemination process • Extensive comments/edits provided by CEOS • and incorporated by GEO Secretariat

10. Highlights of CEOS Analysis • Space-based Earth observation (EO) data sets are expected to play a foundational role in the successful achievement of the GEOGLAM objectives • GEOGLAM work plan does not provide the level of details required to develop and cost the implementation strategy and operation sustainability – it is more a guidance and advisory document • Many further details of implementation will need to be developed with the appropriate partners. • Of particular interest to CEOS should be scoping effort for the types and amounts of EO satellite data from CEOS members.

11. Recommendations - Requested Decisions • That CEOS agree to serve as a full partner to GEO in GEOGLAM program development • 2. That CEOS work closely with the GEOGLAM task team and GEO Agriculture (CoP) to define the data requirements and related attributes for GEOGLAM operations • That CEOS work with GEOGLAM to develop a fluid, sustained and continuous framework for data provision and dissemination, to meet GEOGLAM needs in whole or in part • That CEOS agree to participate in the GEOGLAM governance structure though designation of appropriate representatives • That CEOS not consider this effort in isolation, but in tandem with ongoing/potential future CEOS efforts involving similar EO data sets to maximize efficiency and cost-effectiveness