Driving Innovation for Food and Water Security with Earth Observation Solutions

The Open Atlas Industry Days were held at the end of May in Bucharest, Romania, bringing together stakeholders with a mission to tackle pressing issues in food and water security or resource management. This collaborative event aimed to facilitate the exchange of technology and knowledge from the space industry to other sectors, promoting innovative management approaches. Hosted as part of the Open Atlas project under the Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake, the gathering highlighted Romania’s role in European agriculture amidst challenges like climate change impacts on water scarcity and desertification. Key participants included the Economic Board of the Netherlands Dutch Embassy in Romania, Open Atlas, Romanian Space Agency (ROSA), Terrasigna, Agricover, Clubul Fermierilor Romani, and Ogor.ro, ESRI Romania, and educational institutions like the University of Bucharest and the University of Politehnica of Bucharest. Three innovation canvases were used during the event, specifically designed to engage the participants in meaningful dialogue about the transformative potential of remote sensing for various economic activities and businesses with substantial impact on sustainable development (twin transition) or climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Innovative Canvases for Advancing Earth Observation

These canvases served as practical tools designed to foster collaboration and spur thought advancements in monitoring, resource management optimisation, and resilience in the face of climate challenges. Each canvas represents a unique approach to leveraging remote sensing technologies for sustainable agriculture and beyond, embodying the spirit of collaborative problem-solving that defines the Open Atlas community.

Value Mapping Tool

This canvas helps align products and services with industry needs by mapping industry profiles, understanding customer tasks, identifying pain points, and highlighting benefits.

Problem and Needs Canvas

This tool focuses on identifying user perspectives on specific topics, describing current solutions, and envisioning ideal future solutions.

Prototype Canvas

Aimed at creating a simple prototype and pitching the concept, this canvas outlines the concept, specifies EO data requirements, and assesses the relevance of the problem/solution.

Access the Canvas

These canvases can be downloaded by interested parties, with detailed explanations provided step-by-step. You can download canvases via the link below:

https://connect.groundstation.space/download-canvases-for-innovation-in-earth-observation

Join the Open Atlas Community!

Open Atlas is an open-source algorithm registry for Earth Observation, part of the Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake. The platform is designed for researchers interested in developing and sharing algorithms and industry users searching for the latest innovations related to the water and food nexus. By publishing algorithms on Open Atlas, researchers can accelerate the development of new tools and applications.

We invite researchers and industry professionals to join the Open Atlas community. Contribute your algorithms, collaborate with experts, and be a part of the transformative change in Earth Observation research. For more information, visit the Open Atlas Project.