Communication Satellite Worldwide Satellite Transmission

Monitoring

regional development in data poor countries
Integrating satellite images socioeconomic surveys and machine learning

Carlos Mendez

Graduate School of International Development

Nagoya University

GLOBAL ISSUE
Monitoring sustainable economic development in data poor countries

1

Large development gaps within countries
Social inequality - Buildings and favela

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Source: @gustavomellossa via Canva

how can we monitor them

2

Large regional inequalities

Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil. Source: Tuca Vieira via El Pais

Poor neighborhood
Rich neighborhood
how can we measure predict and explain them

3

Regional inequalities are relevant to
SDG Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG Reduced Inequalities
SDG Climate Action
SDG Decent Work and Economic Growth
multiple Sustainable Development Goals SDGs

5

But there is a BIG challenge in the study of regional development

6

Data poor countries
In many poor countries data are
Unavailable
Unreliable
Uncomparable

7

Communication Satellite Worldwide Satellite Transmission
NEW technologies NEW research opportunities
Border Rectangle Frame
In many poor countries new satellite data are
Reliable
Available
Comparable

9

Communication Satellite Worldwide Satellite Transmission
Integrate insights from multiple fields
Venn Diagram

Economic

geography (EG)

SDG Sustainable Cities and Communities

Data

science

(DS)

Geospatial information

science

(GIS)

to study sustainable regional developmet

10

Example

1

Mapping multidimensional poverty in Cambodia Integrating big data socioeconomic surveys and machine learning

Joint work with

Ate Poortinga

Spatial Informatics Group

Nyein Soe Thwa

Spatial Informatics Group

Andrea McMahon

Spatial Informatics Group

Theara Khoun

UNDP Cambodia

Ivan Gonzalez

UNDP Cambodia

1

Space, Galaxy, Universe, Planet, Cosmos, Background
Venn diagram vector template color style
Business Analytics - Geospatial Analytics

Geospatial

data

Geospatial Technology Icon

Local

survey

3d Survey Checklist

Our

approach

Machine

learning

Machine Learning Icon

Cambodia socieconomic survey is useful, but ...

3d Survey Checklist

Every 2 years

Sample: 10,000 households

Spatial distribution of the survey

... is costly and has space-time coverage limitations

Cambodia socieconomic survey + BIG earth observation data ...

... less expensive and enhanced coverage

Blue Pink and White Andromeda Galaxy Way
A tool to predict poverty
across multiple dimensions and scales

Earth observation data can help us study poverty ...

Provinces

Districts

Communes

... at multiple geographical scales or administrative levels

Earth observation data (satellite and GIS layers) can...

Spatial distribution

of survey data

Enhanced results based on

EO data and machine learning

... enhance our understanding of multidimensional poverty

Survey data + Daytime satellite images + GIS layers ...

Nighttime lights map

Multidimensional poverty map

... can greatly enhance what we know from nighttime lights

Communication Satellite Worldwide Satellite Transmission
Venn Diagram

Economic

geography (EG)

SDG Sustainable Cities and Communities

Data

science

(DS)

Geospatial information

science

(GIS)

Thank you very much

Graduate School of International Development

Nagoya University