Integrated Regional Platform for the Innovative Use of Earth Observations Technology and Farmer Registry for the Production and Validation of Crop Data
Reference
PDF-SDG-2025-05
Implementing Entity/ies
UNECA, FAO.
Collaborating Partners
UNDESA, United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Africa (UN-GGIM: Africa), Université Catholique de Louvain.
Duration
October 2025 - September 2028
Location
Regional with intervention in selected pilot countries.
Approved Budget
$ 1,580,230
Description
Food security and nutrition remain major challenges in Africa, where climate-related shocks cause yield variability that disproportionately impacts smallholder farmers and national agriculture systems. While Earth Observation (EO) technologies and data-driven approaches hold great promise, their integration into national crop data and farmer registries is limited and inconsistent. Current monitoring systems often lack the precision and timeliness needed for effective early warnings and targeted interventions.
To address this, the project will support African countries by establishing ESTELLA, a regional digital platform that combines EO data, in-situ information, crop models, and geospatial technologies. Enabled by machine learning and remote sensing, ESTELLA will produce critical datasets such as crop boundaries, seasonal maps, and yield estimates. It leverages regional capacities and will demonstrate its effectiveness through pilots in Kenya, Senegal, and Zimbabwe, fostering institutionalization and digital services for farmers to enhance food security across the continent. The project aims to advance SDGs 2, SDG 9, and SDG 17.
To address this, the project will support African countries by establishing ESTELLA, a regional digital platform that combines EO data, in-situ information, crop models, and geospatial technologies. Enabled by machine learning and remote sensing, ESTELLA will produce critical datasets such as crop boundaries, seasonal maps, and yield estimates. It leverages regional capacities and will demonstrate its effectiveness through pilots in Kenya, Senegal, and Zimbabwe, fostering institutionalization and digital services for farmers to enhance food security across the continent. The project aims to advance SDGs 2, SDG 9, and SDG 17.