Seminar
Seminar on mapping global crop areas and yields
Zhe Guo, the main developer of MapSPAM 2020 – a highly detailed spatial dataset of crop area and yields globally that is a very valuable datasource to many of us – will visit WUR and give a seminar in LUMEN 2 on the 10th of February. Everybody is welcome to join!!
Global cropping system mapping: Introduction to Spatial Production Allocation Model (SPAM) 2020
Enhancing the spatial understanding of crop production systems enables policymakers and donors to better target agricultural and rural development policies and investments, ultimately improving food security and economic growth while minimizing environmental impacts. The Spatial Production Allocation Model (SPAM) utilizes a cross-entropy approach to integrate multiple spatially explicit data sources, producing high-resolution (5-minute pixel) estimates of the distribution of 46 crops and two production types globally. SPAM results have been widely used both within and beyond IFPRI, including by analysts at CGIAR centers, the World Bank, FAO, and researchers in universities and national agricultural research systems in developing countries. This seminar will introduce the SPAM methodology, highlight current model developments, showcase new features in the 2020 version, and outline future work plans.
Zhe Guo, Senior GIS Coordinator, Foresight and Policy Modelling Unit, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Dr. Guo is a Senior GIS Coordinator at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). He holds an MS in Ecology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an MS in Geography from the University of Maryland, College Park. He earned his PhD in Earth Systems and Geo-Information Sciences from George Mason University. His research focuses on land cover and crop type classification, spatial modelling, machine learning, spatial statistics, and the application of GIS and remote sensing in agriculture, environmental studies, and ecosystem monitoring. He has extensive experience leading and implementing interdisciplinary research projects across Africa and South Asia.
