NASA Harvest is creating a representative map of the Earth Observations and AI landscape in Africa! Why this matters: Building on the excellent EO4ML market map created by Radiant Earth Foundation in 2021, we're working to create a more comprehensive view of the landscape that highlights localization of advancements and contributions across various domains, with a special focus on Africa. The resulting map will serve as a valuable resource for stakeholders to discover and connect with service providers in the EO/AI ecosystem.

How you can help: We've created a short 5-minute survey to gather information about initiatives in Africa and other regions worldwide. Your input will be invaluable in creating a networking resource that facilitates connections between organizations, researchers, funders, and service providers working in this space.

Privacy assurance: All information collected will be kept confidential and used solely for research purposes.

Ready to contribute to this important mapping effort? Complete our survey here: https://forms.gle/8VUt5DbyHNJDkqGJ6

NASA Harvest collaborator David Ongo recently passed suddenly. David Ongo was an instrumental Harvest partner from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Centre. He was one of our crop monitor champions, propelling Crop Monitoring initiatives throughout the East African Region and serving as Harvest's IGAD focal point. David passed away shortly after participating in our recent crop monitoring training in Ethiopia. During this event he expressed his enthusiasm on progress thus far and could not wait to make plans for our next training session. We at Harvest deeply feel his absence and will always remember his tenacity and unwavering dedication to our shared mission of efficient and rapid crop monitoring in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Anticipating crop failures six to twelve months in advance is critical for effective disaster response, yet such long-range yield forecasts are rare. By leveraging advances in climate forecasting, we show that skillful global preseason crop yield predictions are both possible and more reliable than previously recognized. Our findings highlight the untapped potential of early warning systems for agricultural planning and food security.

NASA Harvest's Catherine Nakalembe has been selected as 1 of 10 indivuduals to join the Ted Fellows program. The fellowship offers communication training, network-building opportunities and amplification for remarkable individuals who are pushing boundaries in their fields and tackling the world’s greatest challenges.

NASA Harvest's Africa Lead appeared on IFAD's 'Shaping the Future of Food' Podcast to reflect on rural development successes from the past year and discuss what lies ahead.

Digital monitoring systems are widely used in food systems to track compliance with established standards. Technologies like remote sensing, machine learning, and blockchain offer opportunities for improved oversight but also pose risks of surveillance and misuse. This work explores the benefits, challenges, and research gaps in digital monitoring.