The following resources cover ESA-funded projects and open tools relevant to users applying Earth Observation in food systems — from crop mapping and soil monitoring to agricultural policy compliance, disease surveillance, and food security early warning.
WorldCereal
This is an ESA-funded project. The project produces global, seasonally updated cropland and crop type maps at 10 m resolution using Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Landsat data. The open-source, cloud-based processing system lets any user train and apply custom crop detection models. Products cover temporary crop extent, maize, winter and spring cereals, irrigation extent, and active cropland — freely available for food security analysis, national reporting, and SDG tracking.
WORLDSOILS
This is an ESA-funded project. The project develops a global, EO-based Soil Monitoring System focused on yearly estimation of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) at 100 m resolution globally and 50 m over Europe. Built on Sentinel-2 time series, soil spectral libraries and digital soil mapping techniques. Provides a downloadable SOC product browser and is designed for use by national soil reporting authorities, agricultural agencies and researchers.
PEOPLE4newCAP
This is an ESA-funded project. The project demonstrates and validates EO and sensor-based monitoring to support implementation of the EU's New Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2023–2027), with a focus on eco-scheme compliance at national and farm level. Develops monitoring capabilities for crop rotation, fallow land, permanent grassland management, winter soil cover, catch crops and crop water demand. Works directly with Paying Agencies in Czechia, Netherlands, Sweden and Spain.
World AgroCommodities (WAC)
This is an ESA-funded project. The project develops open-source, cloud-native EO methods to support EU Member States in verifying deforestation-free supply chains under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Maps and monitors the seven EUDR commodities — soy, beef, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, rubber and wood — in tropical deforestation-risk countries using Copernicus Sentinel data. Targets national Competent Authorities, commodity traders and supply chain actors.
Sen4Rust
This is an ESA-funded project. The project integrates Sentinel-2 satellite data into the Ethiopian Wheat Rust Early Warning and Advisory System (EWAS). Maps wheat extent and phenology at 10 m resolution to improve spore dispersal and epidemiological forecasting models, providing near-real-time support to national authorities. Directly relevant to food security practitioners working on crop disease monitoring, agricultural risk management and early warning in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
GEOGLAM Crop Monitor
A free, open, science-driven platform providing monthly consensus assessments of crop conditions for the four major traded grains (wheat, maize, rice, soy) across major producing countries, in support of the G20 Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). A separate Crop Monitor for Early Warning covers food-insecure nations with input from 40+ partner organisations. Also provides interactive access to satellite vegetation, rainfall and soil moisture data by crop and region.
JRC ASAP — Anomaly Hotspots of Agricultural Production
An EU Joint Research Centre decision support tool for early warning of agricultural production anomalies (crops and rangelands) in food-insecure countries. Updated every 10 days using NDVI, rainfall and water balance indicators derived from MODIS, Sentinel-1/2 and Landsat. Provides monthly hotspot assessments with written narratives for 81 food-insecure countries, plus a high-resolution viewer based on Google Earth Engine. Free and openly accessible.
Copernicus Global Land Service (CGLS)
Provides a wide portfolio of global biophysical variables updated at near-real-time to 10-day frequency, including vegetation indices (NDVI, FAPAR, LAI), land surface temperature, soil water index, and land productivity indicators. Products support crop condition monitoring, drought assessment, irrigation monitoring and agro-meteorological analysis. All data are freely available for download and via APIs.
FAO SEPAL
A free, open-source cloud computing platform providing no-code and scripted access to Landsat, Sentinel-1/2 and Planet data for land cover classification, change detection, area estimation, and food-security-relevant monitoring. Dedicated modules cover forest restoration planning, near-real-time disturbance alerts, and peatland rewetting monitoring. Used by over 7,000 users in 180 countries, including national agricultural and forestry agencies.
