Thumbnail Image

Remote sensing determination of evapotranspiration

Algorithms, strengths, weaknesses, uncertainty and best fit-for-purpose

Year of publication 2023

Place of publication Cairo, Egypt ;

Pages 162 p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (stand-alone)

ISBN 978-92-5-138242-4

Synopsis (short abstract) The Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region has long faced water scarcity due to natural causes. Still, factors like population growth, food security policies, and socioeconomic development have worsened the situation in recent decades. Climate change and the food insecurity resulting from the war in Ukraine have further strained the already limited water resources in the region.To address these challenges, countries in the NENA Region seek ways to allocate scarce water resources effectively. They aim to improve water accounting, monitor water usage in strategic hydrological systems, and enhance water productivity and efficiency to save and redistribute water. One crucial aspect to consider in these efforts is water consumption, particularly in irrigated agriculture, which utilizes over 85 percent of renewable freshwater resources while remaining vital to the sustainability of the food sector and farming systems.Given the significant spatial scales involved, satellite remote sensing technology has become a valuable tool in determining evapotranspiration–water consumption. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa (WSI) has gathered top experts in evapotranspiration determination through satellite remote sensing to guide water stakeholders in the region. This initiative has also expanded to other FAO regions through the inter-Regional Technical Platform on Water Scarcity (iRTP-WS).To facilitate knowledge sharing, a series of twenty-five webinars were organized, fostering dialogue between experts and water actors. Additionally, this publication summarizes the outcomes of the webinars and provides further analysis and insights on satellite remote sensing determination of evapotranspiration.The publication aims to update the knowledge and enhance the capacity of water professionals, raise awareness of the strengths and limitations of remote sensing models and databases for evapotranspiration, and clarify operational aspects such as spatial and temporal resolutions and accuracy. Ultimately, it serves as a valuable reference for water actors and professionals working towards sustainable water resource management.

Last updated 22/04/2024, see Corrigendum

Statutory body / Meeting title N/A

Cite this content as:

FAO. 2023. Remote sensing determination of evapotranspiration – Algorithms, strengths, weaknesses, uncertainty and best fit-for-purpose. Cairo.

https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8150en

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Project
    Enhancing Land and Water Productivity in Africa and the Near East through Remote Sensing Technology - GCP/INT/229/NET 2021
    Also available in:
    All countries in North Africa and the Near East suffer from severe water scarcity. In this region, irrigated agriculture accounts for a large proportion of the water demand and is often the first sector affected by water shortages and scarcity. Notably, when water is in short supply, there are additional challenges for sustaining per capita food production and meeting domestic, industrial and environmental water needs. Further complicating matters, the total area suffering from severe water scarcity is expected to increase as a result of changing climatic conditions. Increasing water scarcity and competition for water resources also pose major threats to food security and poverty alleviation. If the effects of climate change are not managed effectively, more frequent and extensive periods of drought are expected, creating additional challenges for maintaining the balance between water demand and sustainable development. Despite the agriculture sector being a primary consumer of water, irrigation services and scheme performances have not been fully optimized in the region and best management practices and technologies have not been widely deployed. As such, this project was designed to support countries in monitoring land and water productivity, identifying productivity gaps and developing suitable solutions.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Using Remote Sensing in support of solutions to reduce agricultural water productivity gaps 2019
    Also available in:
    Improving water productivity in agriculture is key to manage water demand. The use of remote sensing can help monitor agricultural water productivity. Indeed, systematic monitoring helps evaluate water productivity gaps and identify appropriate solutions for closing these gaps. The flyer describes WaPOR, FAO’s portal to monitor Water Productivity through Open-access of Remotely sensed derived data.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Seasonal mapping of crop types and water use in Northern Gaza Strip: insights from remote sensing and field surveys (2021–2023) 2024
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This study focuses on assessing crop productivity and water use efficiency in the northern region of Gaza through remote sensing and field measurements. It aims to accurately map and identify crop types in the study areas using remote sensing data, including satellite imagery and in situ measurements. The objective of this study is to conduct crop type mapping and water consumption mapping based on evapotranspiration (ET). Calculating evapotranspiration alone does not give definitive indicators, because it does not calculate leaching requirements of crops, nor does it calculate the efficiency of irrigation systems using remote sensing techniques. The study covers the period from 2021 to 2023 and focuses on the summer and winter seasons in East Gaza city (Al-Shujaia), Beit Hanoun and East Jabalia North Gaza.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.