The food producers of our planet face the extraordinary challenge of feeding 9 billion people by the year 2050. As a consequence of climate change, there will be a growing competition in using water and finding fertile land. Further, reliable weather forecasts for food producers are scarcely available in developing countries.
Science and technology can help to improve this situation by empowering the most important actors in the food production chain: farmers, fishermen and pastoralists. Providing the right information at the right time to food producers can help to improve and increase food production in a sustainable manner thus ensuring food security on a global scale.
The Geodata for Agriculture and Water (G4AW) programme stimulates sustainable food production, a more efficient use of water in developing countries, and aims to alleviate poverty by enhancement of sustainable economic growth and self-reliance in the G4AW partner countries. G4AW provides a platform for partnerships of private and public organisations. Together they provide food producers with relevant information, advice or (financial) products.
G4AW is a programme by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the policy priorities for food security and water, which is executed by the Netherlands Space Office (NSO). More information can be found on the G4AW website.