A NASA researcher has developed a new method to anticipate food
shortages brought on by drought. Molly Brown of NASA’s Goddard
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and her colleagues
created a model using data from satellite remote sensing of crop
growth and food prices. Brown conceived the idea while working
with organizations in Niger, West Africa, that provide
information regarding failed crops and help address local
farmers' worries about feeding their families. Brown's new
approach could improve the ability for government and
humanitarian aid officials to plan and respond to drought-
induced food price increases in Niger and elsewhere. Supply and
demand largely dictate food prices, with greater supply leading
to lower prices and less supply leading to higher prices. During
a food crisis in semi-arid regions like Niger, food shortages
are often brought on when lack of rainfall significantly reduces
the amount of grain farmers are able to grow. Farmers in regions
like Niger are able only to grow a few dro