FAO Celebrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day, 20 November 2024: Leveraging GIS for a Sustainable Future

Each year, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the transformative power of GIS and its ability to turn data into actionable insights. This technology has become an indispensable tool in fields like agriculture, environmental conservation, and disaster response, helping organizations like FAO address complex global challenges. By linking data with location, GIS empowers FAO to understand and tackle issues ranging from crop health to climate change, and from natural resource management to disaster preparedness. 

“GIS technology allows us to approach environmental and agricultural challenges from an entirely new perspective,” says Dejan Jakovljevic, Director of Digital FAO and Agro-Informatics Division and Chief Information Officer. “At FAO, we harness the power of GIS to deliver data-driven solutions that support sustainable development and contribute to food security and resilience worldwide.” 

Advancing GIS Initiatives for a Sustainable Future 

In 2024, FAO launched several GIS-based initiatives that further its mission to enhance food security, improve agricultural practices, and protect the environment. One of the major projects is the launch of a Google Earth Engine (GEE) training program, which empowers global participants to analyze vast datasets in real time. This platform allows users to monitor agricultural trends and environmental changes, building a network of skilled practitioners who can apply GIS data to solve regional agricultural and environmental challenges. 

Simultaneously, FAO has worked to strengthen local GIS capacity in Ukraine. In November, FAO introduced a Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) training initiative that equips local teams with tools to create maps, track project progress, and document results more effectively. “This training is not just about skills-building,” explains Gianluca Franceschini, Information Technology Officer. “It’s about enabling our teams to harness GIS data to manage projects more effectively, ensuring transparency and better decision-making.” 

Enhancing Global Data Resources for Better Decision-Making 

Another significant project is to be released by the end of this year, of the updated Global Administrative Unit Layers (GAUL) 2024 dataset, which aims at providing an updated global dataset of sub-national boundaries to support sub-national statistics and analysis for a wide variety of applications on animal health, water use monitoring, ecosystems restoration, emergency assessment, climate risk and many others. Data and metadata will be made available in multiple formats through FAO Agro-Informatics platform and to specific applications built within the same technology stack. It will support better spatial planning and governance, reinforcing FAO’s role as a key provider of high-quality spatial data. 

FAO has also expanded access to standardized, high-quality satellite data-based land surface products through the Essential Remote Sensing Data Portal, a central hub for data validation, certification, and open-access publication. Scheduled to be launched publicly in 2025, this portal will provide users selected high-quality remote sensing products based on third-party validation reports assessing the data products' reliability and uncertainty. The portal's functionality will enable users to search and download data by topics, spatial extent, and time periods of interest. A map interface will display geolocation and image previews for each data collection to enhance user experience. The portal could support applications such as cropland area statistics and crop growth monitoring by allowing decision-makers to integrate high-resolution data directly into their workflows. “The Essential Remote Sensing Data Portal simplifies access to critical geospatial data, helping users integrate up-to-date information into their analytical and decision-making processes,” says Pengyu Hao, Information Technology Officer. 

A Commitment to Global Progress and Resilience 

As on 20 November, FAO celebrates GIS Day, these milestones demonstrate how GIS is advancing sustainable development. From the Google Earth Engine training program to the QGIS initiative in Ukraine, and from the GAUL 2024 dataset to the Essential Remote Sensing Data Portal, FAO is broadening access to GIS tools and data to address the world’s most pressing environmental and agricultural challenges. 

Through these efforts, FAO is not only advancing GIS technology but also reinforcing its commitment to leveraging spatial data for global progress and resilience. By empowering local communities, building capacity, and making high-quality data accessible to stakeholders worldwide, FAO is helping to create a more sustainable future for all.