Investigation of FEWS NET Requirements for Earth Observation of Precipitation and Vegetation

A questionnaire was disseminated to expert end-users and experts in Earth science information for the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). FEWS NET provides monitoring and early warning support to the U.S. Agency for International Development and to other decision makers responsible for responding to food insecurity and preventing famine. To achieve this, FEWS NET utilizes a variety of data types, including satellite remote sensing data to identify climatic hazards that threaten subsistence agricultural and pastoralist livelihoods. Local and regional representatives in developing countries who have direct interaction with the data provide interpretations that inform program decision makers. This review was conducted to elicit Earth observation requirements for FEWS NET. In particular, FEWS NET uses satellite observations to monitor rainfall and vegetation conditions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has recently funded activities to enhance remote sensing inputs to FEWS NET. This review focused upon operational requirements of FEWS NET end-users to determine the necessary qualities of useful remote sensing data and, subsequently, the desired properties of certain biophysical predictions. The review was implemented in 2007, as an on-line questionnaire, completed by over 40 experts from around the world, and was designed to refine FEWS NET input requirements. This allowed a robust set of professional perspectives to be gathered and analyzed rapidly, both informing current funded work and providing a model for rapid requirements definition for Earth science applications. Reviewers were asked to evaluate the relative importance of environmental variables and spatio-temporal requirements for Earth science data products. The requirements investigated covered a range of temporal and spatial properties of inputs, in particular for rainfall and vegetation products. Requirements necessary to enhance FEWS NET were determined; overall, it was recognized that both rainfall and vegetation were valued, as remotely sensing data that provide actionable food security information for FEWS NET.