Landsat Plays a Key Role in Reducing Hunger on Earth "A vision to observe Earth for the benefit of all

Abstract

The United Nations' Department of Economic and Social Affairs predicts 9.7 billion people will sit down every day to the global dinner table by 2050. If this prediction is correct, the world is going to need more crops, more livestock, and more efficient agricultural practices. The world is going to need Landsat. The most enduring satellite system covering the Earth, Landsat is already vital to domestic and international food production. Farmers analyze crop health and stress with vegetation indices derived from Landsat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses remotely sensed data to help formulate reports on crop production, condition, and progress. Even Federal crop insurers tasked with validating claims of hail or drought losses rely on Landsat data.