DLR perspective on the potential of EO in West Africa to support the sustainable intensification of small holder farming systems

Kurzfassung

Agricultural systems worldwide face increasing pressure from two key challenges of the 21st century: climate change and population growth. Both are closely tied to food security, as rising temperatures and increasing variability in precipitation threaten traditional rain-fed production systems. At the same time, growing populations demand higher and more stable yields. To meet these challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sustainable intensification (SI) of agriculture is essential—i.e., increasing productivity without expanding cropland and without adverse environmental impacts. Achieving this requires effective incentives and monitoring systems that can inform and support management decisions at the field level. At the same time, adaptation practices to cope with a changing climate must be implemented. These include, for example, the use of drought-resistant seeds or the adoption of climate-smart agricultural techniques that can also contribute to greenhouse gas emission reductions in rice cropping systems. Remote sensing offers a powerful tool to monitor both mitigation and adaptation practices over large areas. These approaches are already being implemented in various projects in West Africa, illustrating the potential of Earth observation to support sustainable agricultural development and climate resilience.