The Program SERVIR-Amazonia
Connecting Space to Village: Geospatial information for improved environmental decision-making in the Amazon
-> Download the brochure in English, in Spanish and in Portuguese
SERVIR GLOBAL
SERVIR-Amazonia is part of SERVIR Global, a joint development initiative of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Since 2005, SERVIR has worked in partnership with countries to use information provided by Earth-observing satellites and geospatial technologies.
SERVIR-Amazonia, led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), is the newest of five SERVIR hubs. It is a five-year program (2019-2023) that brings together local knowledge and some of the world’s best science in geospatial and Earth observation technology.
The SERVIR-Amazonia hub works with regional partners to understand needs, and then to translate these needs into the development of tools, products and services that will allow countries of the Amazon basin to improve decision making and to better incorporate the voice of women, indigenous peoples and their communities.
Operating as a regional hub, SERVIR-Amazonia promotes collaboration among governments, universities, non-governmental organizations, community groups, and U.S. scientists. The ultimate goal is to improve local capacity to harness satellite data and geospatial information to foster sustainable natural resource management throughout the Amazon. The Program goals are aligned with USAID’s Amazon Vision Goals of:
- Reducing land-based greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the impact of climate change,
- Improving the management of protected areas and other conservation areas,
- Securing the rights, resources and health of forest-dependent (often indigenous) communities.
SERVIR-Amazonia is one of five SERVIR hubs currently operating around the world. SERVIR Global connects USAID’s development network with NASA’s science, technology and extensive satellite data. Together with leading regional organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the SERVIR Global network has developed demand-driven services, tools and trainings for decision-makers in more than 45 countries.
HUB PARTNERS AND COUNTRIES
SERVIR-Amazonia is hosted at the Americas Hub of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT in Cali, Colombia. Partners include:
- Spatial Informatics Group – SIG (United States)
- Conservacion Amazonica – ACCA (Peru)
- Institute for Forest and Agriculture Management and Certification – IMAFLORA (Brazil)
- Fundación EcoCiencia (Ecuador)
The Program works in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, as well as in Ecuador, Suriname, and Guyana.
ABOUT THE ALLIANCE OF BIOVERSITY INTERNATIONAL AND CIAT
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.
SERVICE AREAS
SERVIR-Amazonia works in four thematic areas empowering actors across the region to track and understand environmental changes in near real-time, evaluate climatic threats, and rapidly respond to natural disasters. Read more
Drought and Fire Risk
Water & Water Related Disasters
Weather and Climate
Land Cover, Land Use Change & Ecosystems
SERVICE APPROACH
SERVIR services are user-orientated, needs-based and collectively developed tools, data and training resources to improve environmental decision making.
The SERVIR approach is built around a “service design and delivery” model that includes dynamic teams of regional stakeholders, scientists and subject matter experts in every phase.
Download the SERVIR Global infographic on the Service Concept
SERVIR-Amazonia designs and delivers services with the support of:
- A Geospatial Business Incubator: Links services to larger business models that leverage public-private partnerships.
- An Academic Partner Network: Connects universities of the Amazon region with one another, as well as with their counterparts in the United States, to develop capacities and co-create tools and services based on geospatial information.
- Applied Science Teams: A NASA-led competitive grants process that supports SERVIR in developing science applications for international development through the use of Earth observations.
- A pool of Subject Matter Experts: United States scientists or professionals funded by NASA to devote two months of their time to help SERVIR-Amazonia address key issues important for activity development.
GENDER EQUALITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
SERVIR-Amazonia fosters opportunities for women in science and technology to participate in the design and implementation of demand-driven projects. The Program also considers the specific needs and priorities of women decision makers. In addition to gender considerations, the Program engages indigenous people’s groups to assure both active representation and participation in the co-development process.
CONTACTS
