Feeding the world from space
Earth observation satellites could be the next big enabler of food security
A volatile, changing climate. More frequent natural disasters. Drought, famine, and climate-driven migration.
The challenges that humanity faces are foreboding. As our planet and our communities grapple with these issues, the tools to craft a solution may require us to look upward – to space.
Though we’ve relied on stars as waypoints for millennia, we may soon find ourselves relying on a new generation of constellations for guidance: networks of satellites that could power a smarter, more connected Earth.
The race to this future is well underway. In 2022 alone, the total number of active satellites increased by 44% and Deloitte estimates that the number in just low Earth orbit (LEO, <1,200 miles from Earth’s surface) could grow to more than 40,000 by 2030. These satellites are already helping enterprises unlock possibilities and create a positive impact in a variety of fields. So, how might they help address the pressing challenges of climate change?
There are numerous ways in which Earth observation (EO, also known as remote sensing) from satellites can improve our understanding of the world, from tracking the spread of disease to anticipating the fallout from wildfire smoke. While we cover several of these use cases in our recently launched xTech Futures: SpaceTech report, a particularly impactful, and illustrative, use case may soon be realized in the fight for food security – by enhancing our ability to inform stakeholders, predict changes, and, ultimately, build better systems for the future.
Informing: Seeing the world in new ways
Data collected by the growing array of satellites orbiting the Earth reveal the impact of a rapidly shifting climate on agriculture. With warmer temperatures contributing to more frequent droughts and disease outbreaks, the explosion of information available from orbital sources could be a key element in protecting future food production.
Improvements to image resolution, the development of more precise sensors, and declining launch costs are catalyzing the formation of exciting new platforms for agricultural insights. An early example comes from AgTech startup InnerPlant: By leveraging high-resolution satellite imagery to detect distress signals from their bioengineered crops, they’re able to give farmers an early warning about threats ranging from dehydration to disease. Meanwhile, a new wave of hyperspectral satellites are busy capturing data that goes beyond the visual spectrum, contributing to a better understanding of shifting weather patterns, water quality, and even soil content.
Predicting: New data means new insight
The growing trove of EO data on weather, irrigation, disease, and more provides fuel for increasingly sophisticated predictions about crop yield. Although the machine learning models that promise higher accuracy predictions are still imperfect, research suggests that higher resolution images produce higher quality predictions. In a way, it’s like letting the ML models put on glasses: instead of a blurry view that only allows it to generalize crop growth over many square meters, an ML model now has a crisp view of the field down to a square meter or less. Add in hyperspectral data, and all of a sudden, the model is wearing a pair of augmented reality glasses that warn it about things like pest infestations that aren’t as evident on the visible spectrum.
Fine-tuned forecasts improve adaptability for both individual farmers and international food systems, shaping the difference between a dwindling yield and a robust harvest. For instance, farmers can leverage insights to optimize irrigation and maximize water resources during droughts. Similarly, international leaders can proactively redirect aid to regions where models forecast a higher likelihood of famine. The combined effect of these improvements could soften price shocks and prevent instances of food insecurity, but only if the data is accessible at scale.
Building: Improved systems in space and on Earth
The path to realizing the full benefit of these emerging space-based tools requires syncing up with systems on Earth. The combined potential from the insight and prediction promised by satellite constellations is only realized if that information reaches those who need it most. This is especially pertinent to small land holders operating in remote areas – farmers who already bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to feeding the world’s most marginalized populations.
Global, satellite-enabled connectivity is bringing that future closer to reality. Growing networks of communications satellites in low Earth orbit are poised to deliver truly global coverage, allowing farmers to reap the benefits of EO data via their mobile devices. And the upside of connectivity doesn’t stop at access to new insight into weather, price projections, and crop yield. Data from land-based sensors also flows upward to satellites, adding an extra dimension to the view from space. This level of connectivity could enable farmers to engage with other high-tech apps like blockchain-powered disaster insurance.
Looking forward
Improvements to food security are just one example of the potential value created by Earth observation data. Corporations and government agencies alike could benefit from the integration of satellite data into their supply chains, the ability to monitor the progress of construction projects remotely, and the power to measure foot-traffic at specific locations. Opportunities also abound for companies that develop tools capable of processing the flood of new EO data to deliver more efficient insights.
If you’re interested in learning more about the abundant opportunities ahead in the burgeoning space economy, check out our full SpaceTech Report. You’ll discover why space is the ultimate emerging market!
- Nathan Bergin, NExT Futurist