Space for Policy in Developing Countries

This report is produced under the International Partnership Programme (IPP) at the UK Space Agency. IPP uses the UK Space sector’s research and innovation strengths to deliver sustainable, economic, and societal benefits to developing countries.

This research evidences the use of satellite-derived technologies as a tool to support government policy across five areas in developing countries: agriculture, climate change and the environment, disaster resilience, forestry, and urban and transport. The evidence showcases the use cases and value of satellite technologies and supports the increased exploitation of satellite technologies across policymaking in developing countries.

Specific findings include the following:

• Agriculture: Most applications of space in agriculture, such as rural payments and insurance products, aim to stabilize the incomes of farmers at low cost. Space solutions can also assist governments to maintain food security and plan for disasters by providing early warning information and risk identification to support advance planning and mitigation. Earth Observation (EO) can also provide accurate, updated maps of natural resources to support sustainable management.
• Climate: Satellite data provides rich information about climate and environmental conditions. Satellite data can be used to optimize renewable energy production and to underpin models that predict climate change risks and inform adaptation and mitigation strategies.
• Disaster resilience: The use of satellite data can enhance disaster resilience by informing disaster preparedness, resilience, and response. It can increase the survival and recovery rates of populations and economies in developing countries.
• Forestry: Satellite imagery provides accurate, cost-effective surveillance and monitoring of forestry resources at frequent intervals so that changes to land coverage can be monitored and detected quickly. This means that illegal logging, or outbreaks of pests and diseases, can be detected quickly and at lower cost than through other methods of data collection.
• Urban and transport: Satellite technologies offer a powerful data source for governments that need to inform urban planning and update property databases in the face of rapid urban change. EO is useful for land use and change detection; traffic data can be used to detect hotspots of activity; and location data can support the development of universal geographic reference systems.