How satellites are supporting farmers across Africa | Catherine Nakalembe
Satellite food security specialist Catherine Nakalembe explains how she uses satellite imagery and machine learning to map and monitor crops across African countries, and why many existing models fail when applied to smallholder farms. In a follow-up conversation with TED Fellows Program Director Lily James-Olds, she describes the gap between powerful data systems and farmers' realities, the importance of ground-based data and local context, and her efforts to build practical, human-centered ways to turn drought and flood information into action. She also shares a grassroots project to establish soil moisture calibration stations in Africa and reflects on the institutional and financial barriers, as well as the sources of hope that keep her pursuing this work.