A Land Data Assimilation System for Famine Early Warning
Investigators:
James Verdin (co-PI, USGS/EROS), Chris Funk (co-PI, USGS/EROS),
Christa Peters-Lidard (NASA/GSFC), Molly Brown (NASA/GSFC),
Dennis Lettenmaier (U. Washington),
Collaborator:
Michael Dettinger (USGS/Scripps Inst. Oceanography)
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Abstract
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We propose to enhance the operations of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET),
the decision support system for the US Agency for International Development (USAID)
for international food aid programs,
through the integration of a custom instance of NASA's Land Information System (LIS).
We will create a land data assimilation system specifically for the domains, data streams, and monitoring/forecast
requirements associated with food security assessment in data sparse, developing country settings.
USGS/FEWS NET presently handles a wide range of gridded satellite remote sensing and atmospheric model data
products from NASA and NOAA to monitor and forecast crop growing conditions in the most food insecure countries
of the world. The new FEWS NET Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS) will be developed in partnership with
NASA/GSFC, and implemented to achieve more effective use of limited available hydroclimatic observations.
FLDAS will transition into long term, routine use at USGS for FEWS NET decision support.
We will test FLDAS specifically as a tool for production of seasonal food security outlook maps.
Benchmarking the skill of these maps, before and after FLDAS implementation, will document
improved famine early warning.
FEWS NET will gain the capacity to make ensemble runs for weekly and seasonal forecasts of
land surface variables, and will also be positioned to apply IPCC climate change modeling results
to produce 21st century scenarios of land surface states relevant to food security assessments.
State-of-the-practice land data assimilation methods will be applied to the decision-making process
for U.S. foreign assistance programs that safeguard the lives and livelihoods of tens of millions
of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. The relevance and efficacy of NASA Earth science
programs will be highlighted by this integration of results into an internationally well-known and
credible U.S. government decision support system.
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NASA Products
LIS, LDAS
Project Partners
USAID, USGS
Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET)
Description of DST.
Reports
