FAO Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Geospatial Platform enabling free and equitable access to data

The responsible collection, use, and integration of different data from diverse domains unlocks critical information that can be applied to sustainable development interventions, early warning systems and natural resource management.

FAO Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform is a digital public good 103 that helps analyze and compare data on food and agriculture, enabling targeted interventions towards reducing poverty, hunger, help increase economic development while holistically respecting our environment. The platform unlocks over 2 million of data layers from different domains and sources to serve as key enabling tool for FAO’s HiH Initiative.

With the aim of turning data into action, bringing together geospatial and statistical data for more targeted agricultural interventions, the HIH GP enables free and equitable access to targeted information resources and data driven solutions through innovation, reducing inequalities (SDG 10). The platform makes information available to all stakeholders involved in food and agriculture, including remote and rural areas, enabling better production and consumption levels (SGD 12) and development of the policy and strategic implementation mechanisms.

HandInHand platform, includes elements advantageous for early warning systems as well, enabling stakeholders to focus on relevant situations and getting up to date information on mitigation measures, for example on water resources (SDG 6), optimized land use/management (SDG 15), and are thus able to better adapt in terms of decision making -including policy regulations for climate action (SDG16)- to maximize efficiency and build strategic partnerships in the field (SDG 17)