GIS & Remote Sensing Applications in Food Security

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1 Margaret Kane December 16, 2014 NRS 509: Concepts in GIS & Remote Sensing University of Rhode Island Importance of GIS & Remote Sensing in Food Security Food security is defined as a household s availability to healthy food that is consistently accessible in order to sustain an active and healthy lifestyle (Stein 38). This security is threatened on a community and global level by three important factors; the access and availability of food in local environments, the effects of the changing climate on agriculture and natural resources, and the active participation in planning, developing, and managing effective strategies to optimize and sustain food production with the available existing land. Several strategies have been developed using Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques, which contribute knowledge and understanding to food security. These strategies include techniques which examine local food environments, assess changes in land use and land cover, identify areas of importance in specific regions to determine the relationships between biophysical and socioeconomic attributes, and the use of 3D models to demonstrate landscape and construct methods to sustain our food sources. GIS and Remote Sensing play significant roles in securing the future of our food production and our population. The importance of food security is directly linked to increases in population density, limitations on agriculture yields, and the spread of food deserts. Securing the Local Food Environment Food outlets such as supermarkets, small grocery stores, restaurants, and fast food restaurants comprise local food environments in urban, sub-urban, and rural communities. Studies have examined spatial and statistical association between access to these food sources and socioeconomic deprivation. Disadvantages that prevent communities from obtaining food security are the theories of Food Deserts and Food Swamps. Food Deserts are defined as impoverished areas where it is difficult to purchase fresh affordable food, most often found in urban communities. Food Swamps are defined as areas where socially disadvantaged communities are over exposed to unhealthy food, primarily fast food restaurants. Understanding the association between the spatial and statistical location of healthy and unhealthy food outlets in different communities gives a better insight to their local food environments. Food swamps and food deserts have been found in urban communities where access for food trucks may be difficult and fast-food restaurants have rapidly developed. Access to supermarkets, with higher availability and affordable healthy food, are primarily located in suburban and rural communities near major roadways (Stein). On a perception-based study, residents of targeted neighborhoods rated locations near supermarkets and small grocery stores to have higher variety and availability

2 of healthy low-fat foods (Latetia et al.) By understanding the spatial relationship of healthy and unhealthy food outlets, one is better able to examine and interpret factors needed to improve health issues such as obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, malnutrition and hunger. Urban cities depend on transportation of food stock to support their communities. If highly populated cities have limited space for supermarkets and accessibility to supermarkets, residents are forced to turn to fast-food restaurants that have become highly available and are more affordable. Accessibility and availability to healthy, affordable food is a major threat to food security if communities are limited to these sources. In rural areas of the world such as Nigeria and other third world countries there is limited accessibility to outside food sources. These regions depend highly on their own agriculture production to sustain their populations. With increasing populations, urbanization leads to agriculture land fragmentation. Nigeria contains 71.3% of agriculture land. This high proportion of land is tended to by an inadequate amount of farm holders, weakening the security of agriculture land and productivity. When food security is minimal, residents travel to more secure regions. To optimize food production and create a sustainable region that has so much possibility for productivity, it is vital that proper planning, development, and management strategies be put into place for small farm holders in these rural regions to support their own populations (Soneye). Changing Food Production with the Environment Population trends have increased in all parts of the world. As a result, urbanization leads to fragmentation, primarily in open spaces and agricultural lands with potential to be developed. Safeguarding the source of production is essential to our survival and securing food supply. Coinciding with changes in populations and land use, climate plays an influencing factor on food production and biodiversity. GIS and Remote Sensing technologies such as satellites and software can be used to gather and map data concerning soil fertility, elevation models, population, poverty index, food production, and Landsat images. Correlating these data sets and analyzing them with GIS techniques is useful in analyzing changes in the climate and their effects on agriculture production (Ogechi and Hunja). GIS and Remote Sensing systems are also able to monitor changes in climate and demonstrate its effect on soil fertility, rainfall, growing conditions, and approaching food shortages. Remote Sensing systems such as the SPOT-4 and 5 satellites with the VEGETATION instrument create imagery on a global scale that can be used to identify disaster prone regions where changes in vegetation may become insecure. The FAO ARTEMIS is a widely used system to monitor food supply and demand conditions for proper preparation for disasters such as food shortages, droughts, and hunger. By monitoring rainfall, soil fertility and vegetation, disasters such as drought can be foreseen and proper planning can be put in to action to prevent catastrophic effects (Minamiguchi). Modeling the Future of GIS & RS in Food Security Moving forward, proper planning, development, and management of the existing agriculture lands and the farm holder s production practices will secure food supply on a regional and global scale. GIS and Remote Sensing applications provide the information and knowledge necessary to adapt sustainable agriculture practices and yield insight to threats caused by climate change and other environmental factors. 2

3 Droughts, floods, and erratic weather conditions pose a major threat to food security. A 3-Dimensional modeling GIS tool is another method used to illustrate landscape models that can be easily learned and understood. Collaboration to identify and evaluate targeted areas is made possible, thus enhancing cooperation between communities and institutions. Sustainable development can then be reached in all sectors of the globe, especially in third world countries that need to address these issues to eliminate hunger and optimize land use. (Banaynal and Dwamena). GIS and Remote Sensing are essential techniques used to better understand the changing relationships between food availability, the accessibility of land mass and the effects of climate change on agriculture production. By better understanding these relationships, proper planning can be made to prevent disasters related to food insecurity and we can strengthen sustainable practices thus securing food supply for future generations. Works Cited Banaynal, Romeo, and Ernest Dwamena. "Enhancing Food Security, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Planning in Ghana Using Participatory Three Dimensional Model Map." Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa 4th ser. 13 (2011): Web. Minamiguchi, Naoki. "The Application of Geospatial and Disaster Information for Food Insecurity and Agricultural Drought Monitoring and Assessment by the FAO GIEWS and Asia FIVIMS." Workshop on Reducing Food Insecurity Associated with Natural Disasters in Asia and the Pacific FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand, (2005): Web. MS.pdf. Moore, Latetia V., Ana V. Roux, and Shannon Brines. "Comparing Perception-Based and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-Based Characterizations of the Local Food Environment." Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine 2nd ser. 85 (2008): Web. Ogechi, Benard A., and Waithaka E. Hunja. "Land Use Land Cover Changes and Implications For Food Production: A Case Study of Keumbu Region Kisii County, Kenya." International Journal of Science and Research 3.10 (2014): Web. Soneye, Alabi. "Farm Holdings in Northern Nigeria and Implication For Food Security: A Remote Sensing and GIS Assessment." African Journal of Food and Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 14.2 (2014): Web. < 3

4 Stein, Dana Beth, Food Deserts and Food Swamps in Hillsborough County, Florida: Unequal Access to Supermarkets and Fast-Food Restaurants (2011). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Annotated Bibliography 1. Banaynal, Romeo, and Ernest Dwamena. "Enhancing Food Security, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Planning in Ghana Using Participatory Three Dimensional Model Map." Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa 4th ser. 13 (2011): Web. Floods, droughts, climate change, and unpredictable weather patterns threaten Northern Ghana s potentially high availability for agriculture and natural resources. The repercussions from these disasters will destroy Ghana s communities, biodiversity, natural ecosystems, and their food security. This paper presents a 3D modeling method as a planning and communication tool for community collaboration to address these rising issues that threaten Ghana s food security and sustainable future. Community-driven planning and collaboration efforts have made no progress. GIS 3D modeling presents an alternative method among the collaborated development agencies and beneficiary communities in Ghana. This GIS 3D modeling method can be used in community and regional level planning in order to work towards sustainable development. Once created, it can be understood to the learned and unlearned so that all collaborating planners can use this resource for developing ideas. This method is also beneficial in identifying areas of interest in Ghana that need to be addressed first in terms of urgency. The results of this GIS method allow collaborators to evaluate their landscape s biophysical and socioeconomic attributes. This paper proposes that 3D modeling mapping will support community based disaster and risk management, collaborative planning and research, collaborative protected area management, people empowerment, discovery learning, improving communication, traditional knowledge and intellectual property right, and monitoring and evaluation. By creating contour maps of Ghana, they were able to identify suitable ways to support food security in their region. 2. Minamiguchi, Naoki. "The Application of Geospatial and Disaster Information for Food Insecurity and Agricultural Drought Monitoring and Assessment by the FAO GIEWS and Asia FIVIMS." Workshop on Reducing Food Insecurity Associated with Natural Disasters in Asia and the Pacific FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand, (2005): Web. MS.pdf. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) created a system that uses remote sensing technology to monitor vegetation and rainfall over a large area in near real-time, known as FAO Advanced Real Rime Environmental Monitoring Information System (ARTEMIS). The main users of this program are the FAO Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) and the Asia Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS). These users take advantage of the FAO ARTEMIS system to monitor all 4

5 countries food supply and demand conditions. This system allows monitors advanced notice of food shortages, droughts, and threats of hunger at individual county or sub-regional levels. This system collects and archives crop growing conditions, food supply and rainfall. The GIS and remote sensing technologies utilizes the SPOT-4 and 5 satellites, targeting the VEGETATION instrument with a 1 km resolution that covers the entire globe s landmass. The advantage of collecting this data is that monitors have advance notice on droughts, food shortage, crop growing conditions, and other conditions that may threaten food security. The system provides a method of documenting data that influences food security in order to develop ways to improve food security and address disasters before they are full on by analyze the vulnerability of threatened regions through years of data collection. 3. Moore, Latetia V., Ana V. Roux, and Shannon Brines. "Comparing Perception-Based and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-Based Characterizations of the Local Food Environment." Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine 2nd ser. 85 (2008): Web. Surveys measuring the perception of availability of healthy foods were distributed between January and August 2008 to a random sample of 5,988 adults in 685 census tracts in Forsyth County, NC, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, MD, Northern Manhattan, and the Bronx, NY. Surveys asked respondents to rate the extent of availability and quality of fruits and vegetables and selection of low-fat products in their neighborhood area, within a 20 minute walk from home. Supermarket and small store densities were estimated with a kernel density method and mapped using GIS software. Density values were assigned as density of supermarket per square mile within a mile of home. Each respondent was given a density value. Results show on average that respondents in areas with low supermarket densities perceive their local food availability as lowest, and respondents with high supermarket and small store densities have higher perceived availability and variety of healthy low fat foods. Supermarkets appear to have higher availability of healthy affordable fruits, vegetables, and low fat foods. Communities near these food outlets are perceived to have more variety and availability. 4. Ogechi, Benard A., and Waithaka E. Hunja. "Land Use Land Cover Changes and Implications For Food Production: A Case Study of Keumbu Region Kisii County, Kenya." International Journal of Science and Research 3.10 (2014): Web. Keumbu Region in Kisii County is experiencing a decrease in agriculture land due to high population increase, urbanization, and agriculture land fragmentation. The drastic change in land use and land cover has negatively impacted their food production and biodiversity, resulting in an insecure food source. This region in Kenya depends on agriculture practice to sustain their population, which is significantly increasing. Increasing populations require urbanization leading to land fragmentation. Agriculture land is limited and invaluable, especially with the effects of the changing climate on crop yield. This study analyses land use land cover changes and the effects on food production using GIS and Remote Sensing techniques. Topographic map sheets, Landsat Tm Images, 1989,1999 and 2009 demographic data, poverty index data, crop 5

6 production data, and soil/terrain data were gathered from federal sources. These data were then computed in to GIS analysis to develop land use land cover change detection, agriculture land degradation, and densely populated areas or hotspots. DEM and soil maps were combined to analyze soil fertility. Population, poverty index and food production were tabulated to determine poverty stricken and densely populated regions. Landsat Tm images were stacked, subsetted and interpreted with image enhancement to detect landscape changes. Results show that high population pressure was the main cause of agriculture land degradation. Poverty, 65% of the population below the poverty line, was the following cause to agriculture land degradation. Soil fertility depletion trend had a negative impact on food production, which also decreased by 29%. This paper concluded that the Keumbu Region is threatened with food insecurity from degraded agriculture lands and increasing populations. It is recommended that the small-scale farmers adapt good farming practices and land tenure systems. 5. Soneye, Alabi. "Farm Holdings in Northern Nigeria and Implication For Food Security: A Remote Sensing and GIS Assessment." African Journal of Food and Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 14.2 (2014): Web. Nigeria and other third world countries need reliable assessments of available stock and level of utilization of land in order to create sustainable land use resource developments and management plans. Agriculture is a high concern in Nigeria due to increasing land fragmentation, consistent farming, degrading soil fertility, low productivity and small farmer income. The Nigeria population depends on their agriculture practices and productivity to survive. This study uses GIS and remote sensing techniques to evaluate the per capita farm size holdings by small farmers in the agriculture lands of the country. They evaluated six Local Government areas and interpreted SPOT data to examine agriculture land use and land cover. Results of remote sensing methods generate accurate land use land cover images with spatial and spectral resolutions for analysis. These images reveal that 71.3% of the study area is agriculture land, highlighting the importance of the use of this land for the country s livelihood. The study also mapped the farm holdings of agriculture lands per person. This revealed an inadequate number of holdings for farming efficiency and food production within the high percentage of available agriculture land. Therefore security and sustainability in Nigeria are insecure. This study concludes that this region needs to focus on the small farm holdings system, population control, agriculture infrastructure and farming methods in order to strengthen their food production abilities to sustain their population. 6. Stein, Dana Beth, Food Deserts and Food Swamps in Hillsborough County, Florida: Unequal Access to Supermarkets and Fast-Food Restaurants (2011). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Hillsborough County, Florida is one of the fourth most populated county in Florida with almost 152,00 residents receiving food stamps. Of the adults over 20 years of age, 64.8% are classified as obese. This is a target study examining the spatial and statistical association between socioeconomic deprivation and access to supermarkets or fast food restaurants. Supermarkets (115) and fast food restaurants (513) were identified in Hillsborough County using the Primary NAICS and NAICS-1 Description codes. These food outlets were then further 6

7 classified into healthiest supermarkets (47) and unhealthiest fast-food restaurants (34) by current media resources. GIS software was used to geocode all food locations within 1,00 meters of the county boundary. The unit of analysis used was the US Census blocks. GIS Network analysis was used to create study areas within 1000 meters of a food source. The Socioeconomic Deprivation Index was used to understand the relationship between food environment and neighborhood composition. Locations of supermarkets, healthiest supermarkets, fast-food restaurants, unhealthiest fast-food restaurants, and the socioeconomic index were all mapped with results of this study. These results show food deserts and food swamps centralized in urban communities. High accessibility to supermarkets were found in sub-urban communities and along major roadways. 7