GSMA | Mapping poverty: Space and mobile technologies offer new perspective | Mobile for Development

Measuring and understanding the impact of poverty is critical, especially in LMICs, where a large proportion of the population lives below the poverty line. However, assessing poverty can be complex, and requires the integration of multiple factors beyond the lack of income, such as access to education, sanitation, housing and nutrition. The complex combination of factors makes it challenging for governments to identify the groups most in need and design appropriate poverty mitigating policies.

The increased availability of free satellite data, along with costs of satellite technology driven down by new technological developments and collaborations between local, national, regional and international stakeholders, have the potential to further drive the adoption of satellite measurements. However, in the endeavour of poverty mapping to establish partnerships with mobile operators, satellite imagery and digital mapping providers, it is essential to ensure that the right resource is allocated to the right issue.

The full development of the technology in LMICs is challenged by the lack of awareness of the benefits of space technologies, limited financial resources and technology and skills gaps in developing, using and adapting space technologies. Developing policies for open data and open science for geospatial data and leveraging public–private cooperation on common objectives to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is critical. Likewise, the international community should build data capacities through training.