FAO Myanmar is promoting the usage of drones to enhance disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management in the agriculture sector. The project is conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) of Myanmar and the Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University (MAEU) of the Ministry of Education. A training of 30 experts of the newly established MOALI Drone Mapping Team on the application of drone mapping technology for didaster risk reduction in agriculture was organized. “By using drones we will be able to update the maps, measure the fields and...
AQUASTAT is FAO's global information system on water and agriculture. It collects, analyses and disseminates data and information by country and by region. Its aim is to provide users interested in global, regional and national analyses with comprehensive information related to water resources and agricultural water management across the world, with emphasis on countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. AQUASTAT offers the user standardized data and tools to generate its own analysis. Ultimately, it aims to improve the user's understanding and monitoring of water resources,...
The first beta release of the FAO Water Productivity through Open access of Remotely sensed derived data (WaPOR) portal is available as of 14 April 2017. The FAO portal monitors and reports on agriculture water productivity over Africa and the Near East. The portal provides open access to the water productivity database and allows for direct data queries, time series analyses, area statistics and data download of key variables associated to water and land productivity. The portal provides information on variables such as water productivity, land productivity, above ground biomass production,...
Global Forest Watch (GFW) is an interactive online forest monitoring and alert system designed for users to access the information they need to better manage and conserve forest landscapes. The mission of the Global Forest Watch is to provide the most precise information about the status of forest landscapes worldwide. GFW works in collaboration with NASA , Google and the University of Maryland to collect data on forest change which is displayed on an interactive map. Watch this introductory video by the Global Forest Watch: GFW is free and enables users to work with a wide variety of tools,...
The text below is from the United Nations website The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. 17 May marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. World Telecommunication Day World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually on 17 May...
The Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) was created by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) as a response to the generalized food crisis of the early 1970s. Over the years, GIEWS has established itself as one of the world’s leading source of information on global food security. The GIEWS website provides access to food security related information at global, regional and national levels in the form of reports, country analysis and web-based tools dor data analysis. A subscribtion option has also been created for users to get the latest...
Since September 2016, Tanzania's government deploys drones for land mapping in rural areas in order to stop frequent clashes between farmers and cattle herders over land and scarce water resources. "The use of drones helps us to define the boundaries of plots of land on the ground with great accuracy," said Samuel Msaki, a senior land mapping official at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), capture high-resolution images that can be used to conduct precise aerial surveys so that national planners can identify and digitize actual...
On Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017 the board of the brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) approved the text that regulates the operation of drones for commercial purposes throughout the Brazilian territory. The regulation brings standards and procedures that guarantee legal and operational safety and will have a great impact on the market’s sustainable growth. According to ANAC, the objective of the new regulations is to make viable Drones operations in Brazil, preserving the safety of people. The regulations were elaborated taking into account the level of complexity and risk involved in...
The European Commission presented on Thursay, May 4th, "Digital4Development", a strategy to mainstream digital technologies into European Union development policy, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The EU lacks an appropriate framework for mainstreaming and ensuring an effective delivery of digital technologies and services. Digital technologies can be very useful in key areas for development, such as agriculture, job creation, access to micro-finance, education and health. The Digital4Development project is intended to be part of overall development...
The UNESCO Chair in ICT4D is convening a workshop on Friday the 16th of June at the 2017 WSIS Forum which will be held in Geneva. This workshop will coincide with the recent publication of a new book entitled Reclaiming Information and Communication Technologies for Development This workshop is held under the premise that the global spread of ICTs has increased inequality, and that the poorest and the most marginalised have failed to sufficiently to benefit. The workshop objectives and purpose are aptly stated in the announcement:- The workshop will explore whether the continued focus on the...
