AG07 03 Data Integration Recommendations The GEOSS Secretariat

AG-07 -03: Data Integration Recommendations • The GEOSS Secretariat / ADC to support: – Development of an international moderate (30 m) resolution data initiative, providing a global data set for the 2009 -2011 period, from the available international assets. • This data set to be derived from multiple data sources would follow the GEOCOVER and MDGLS projects (to be completed by USGS and NASA in 2008) and be used as a basis for developing a database on global agricultural distribution, crop group type and rotation and farming systems. • The data set should be made available free of charge • It is recommended that CEOS WGISS provide guidance on the necessary acquisition strategy, metadata standards and product interoperability and availability – The GEO Agriculture Community of Practice to advance research and development activities for assimilating satellite earth observations and in situ data – The FAO and its member national agricultural agencies to facilitate the integration of satellite data with traditional agricultural monitoring methods to achieve timely accurate and verifiable reporting of national agriculture statistics – The WMO and its member agencies to improve the availability of meteorological station data and resultant products to enable improved prediction and monitoring of crop conditions and production shortfalls 1

AG-07 -03: Data Standards/ Quality Recommendations • Coordinate with CEOS WGISS for moderate/fine resolution data exchange protocols and metadata standards • Facilitate a Global Agricultural Data coordination workshop to address timeliness, availability, quality, and exchange of satellite and in situ data • Enhance the quality and availability of in situ data to improve timeliness, accuracy and comprehensiveness of data • Facilitate setting standards for agriculture related in situ data collection procedures, national agricultural statistics reporting, and data accuracy 2

WGISS-GEO Discussions: Virtual Constellations Wrap WGISS-24 3

Wrap-up, WGISS VC POC n WGISS-25 Joint Session with WGCV in February, in opening reported preliminary discussions with Changyong Cao to plan Joint WGISS-WGCV WTF on Land Ø Major objective to provide LSI VC contribution, e. g. testbed. n Suggest that joint session agenda planning group to include: Ø WGISS(working with Exec and TT as appropriate), and WGCV Chairs/ Co-Chairs Ø JP Antikidis and his counterpart(s) in WGCV LSI Subgroup Ø Other interested parties? n May wish to task SEO for session materials. WGISS-24, Oberpfaffenhofen- October 15~19, 2007 4