The world abounds in crises of all kinds. Often, countries think of these crises myopically – a food security emergency, a disease outbreak, civil unrest. However, in the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that the drivers of these crises are complex and interconnected through inextricable relationships. Research has shown deep linkages among national security, health security and food security, and this scholarship underscores the importance of broadening our definition of security to account for these development and humanitarian perspectives. Within such a framework, security is a kaleidoscope of safety, livelihoods, and well-being where each vantage point is equally valuable and intrinsically tied to the others.

In such a framework, satellite imagery and OSM data layers provide important inputs to understanding on-the-ground dynamics. I propose a panel discussion where we have representatives from the various security sectors - national security, health security, food security, and others - discuss how we can use geospatial technology to break down our siloes and provide a more holistic operating picture for stakeholders.

Back to program