Vulnerability analysis in terms of food insecurity and poverty using GIS and remote sensing technology: applied to Sri Lanka

Pervez M. Shahriar; Mahadevan Ramachandran; Lal Mutuwatte

doi:10.1117/12.462353

14 March 2003 Vulnerability analysis in terms of food insecurity and poverty using GIS and remote sensing technology applied to Sri Lanka

Pervez M. Shahriar, Mahadevan Ramachandran, Lal Mutuwatte

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4886, Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring, GIS Applications, and Geology II; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.462353
Event: International Symposium on Remote Sensing, 2002, Crete, Greece

Abstract

It is becoming increasingly recognized that computer methods such as models and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be valuable tools for analyzing a geographical area in terms of it's hazards vulnerability, Vulnerability is an important aspect of households' experience of poverty. The measurement and analysis of poverty, inequality and vulnerability are crucial for cognitive purposes (to know what the situation is), for analytical purposes (to understand the factors determining this situation), for policy making purposes (to design interventions best adapted to the issues), and for monitoring and evaluation purposes (to assess whether current policies are effective, and whether the situation is changing). Here vulnerability defined as the probability or risk today of being in poverty - or falling deeper into poverty - in the future. Vulnerability is a key dimension of well being since it affects individuals' behavior (in terms of investment, production patterns, coping strategies) and their perception of their own situation. This study has been conducted with the joint collaboration of World Food Programme (WFP) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Sri Lanka for identifying regions and population which are food insecure, for analyzing the reasons for vulnerability to food insecurity in order to provide decision-makers with information to identify possible sectors of intervention and for identifying where and for whom food aid can be best utilized in Sri Lanka. This new approach integrates GIS and Remote sensing with other statistical packages to allow consideration of more spatial/physical parameters like accessibility to economic resources, particularly land and the assets of the built environment, creating employment, and attracting investment in order to improve the quality and quantity of goods and services for the analysis which leads the analysis to represent the real scenario. For this study a detailed topographic data are being used along with MODIS EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index)

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Pervez M. Shahriar, Mahadevan Ramachandran, and Lal Mutuwatte "Vulnerability analysis in terms of food insecurity and poverty using GIS and remote sensing technology applied to Sri Lanka", Proc. SPIE 4886, Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring, GIS Applications, and Geology II, (14 March 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.462353

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