The Merwat Libya platform phase two

The Merwat platform is entering a new phase, with new datasets already available and further additions coming soon.

Originally developed to host data generated within the Merwat project, the platform was designed to support the monitoring, evaluation, and rationalization of agricultural water use in Libya. Launched in 2021, the project concluded in 2024. However, the platform continued to evolve beyond the scope of the original project, becoming a broader geospatial data hub for Libya, covering a growing range of topics relevant to the national priorities on food and agriculture.

Recent updates include a new collection of energy-related data to explore the nexus between agriculture, water and energy. New datasets include information on the power network, night-time lights, mean wind speed, areas suitable for grid-connected solar and wind energy installations, and the long-term technical potential of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

The platform has also been updated with new land cover data and additional agricultural information, including crop types, irrigated and rainfed cropland, orchard extent, and winter cereal masks.

Further additions are planned in the coming weeks and months. New datasets on fisheries and cereals will soon be available, alongside a comprehensive new collection of climate-related information.

These updates mark another step in the platform's ongoing development, strengthening its role as a shared geospatial resource to support research, planning, and evidence-based decision-making in Libya.

More about the app: https://data.apps.fao.org/merwat-libya/?lang=en&share=f-70d407cd-ff2f-4d5a-98c3-b5d5cf88fe91