The Need
Agriculture is inextricably tied to the physical environment and the unpredictability of nature. Factors such as climate, soil and water availability play more of a defining role in agriculture than in any other economic sector. And nowhere is this more evident than in Africa. If smallholder farmers are to be consistently successful, from one season to another, and from one year to another, they need to have access to essential geospatial (location-specific)information.
What we do
The AGCommons (Agricultural Geospatial Commons) Program identifies and develops data, tools and services that deliver relevant, timely and affordable geospatial information to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and those working on their behalf. Such information will allow farmers to plan and decide more effectively which crops or livestock will perform best on their farms, anticipate and manage disease outbreaks and rainfall shortfalls, as well as decide when to harvest and in which markets to sell their produce. 
AGCommons will also enable farmers to communicate their rich knowledge of various aspects of farming, along with relevant geospatial data, back to the groups and organizations working on their behalf.
AGCommons is being developed as an Africa-based service bureau to provide geospatial information technology services to extend the reach and impact of existing agricultural initiatives working to improve the productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers. To be provided through a “commons” approach, these services create the greatest possible good for the largest number of people and will include data development and acquisition, visualization and cartography, and sophisticated spatial modeling specific to the agriculture development sector. AGCommons is establishing working relationships with existing service providers and work within the community to build capacities currently in short supply locally.
AGCommons operations and services are starting up with a base in Nairobi, Kenya. The technical infrastructure to deliver the initial set of geospatial services, including the ability to host and visualize spatial information, is available and can be reached here.
Who we are
AGCommons was launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of their Geospatial Technology Program. It is led by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in partnership with Spatial Development International.
The Team
Enrica Porcari, Project Leader – CGIAR Chief Information Officer and Leader of the ICTKM Program
Laban MacOpiyo, Director
Francesca Pelloni, Program Officer
David Balson, Senior Consultant
Jubal Harpster, Technical Project Officer – Spatial Development International
Tood Slind, Project Officer – Spatial Development International
