The decade of progress (2012–2022) in using earth observation for agricultural applications in Southern Africa: A systematic review

Abstract

• EO use in Southern African agriculture (2012–2022) was systematically reviewed • Key themes were cropland mapping, drought, crop water use, crop health and pests • Sentinel/Landsat data and machine learning drove major methodological advances • Ground data scarcity remains a key barrier for validation and smallholder mapping • Capacity building (e.g., Africa Regional Data Cube) can accelerate EO uptake Unprecedented advances in Earth observation (EO) technologies have transformed many sectors, including agriculture. However, EO adoption and implementation in Southern Africa remain relatively underexplored. This systematic review examines how EO has been used in Southern African agriculture and provides an overview of the field’s status, highlighting key challenges and opportunities. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocols, the review assesses peer-reviewed studies published between 2012 and 2022 that apply EO to agricultural challenges in the region. The analysis focuses on four main application areas: cropland mapping, drought monitoring, crop water-use estimation, and monitoring of crop health, pests, and diseases. The review also explains how these thematic areas support progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly through improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food security, reducing poverty, and enhancing water management. Despite clear benefits, several barriers limit EO's impact in the region. A major constraint is the limited availability of ground-based data needed to validate EO-derived products, which can reduce accuracy, especially for mapping smallholder systems. Nonetheless, EO technologies show strong potential to advance agricultural decision-making in Southern Africa. The review notes its scope limitation to EO-based agricultural studies published in the past decade but argues that its findings provide a useful foundation for future research. It further emphasises that capacity-building initiatives, such as the Africa Regional Data Cube, are vital for accelerating EO adoption. Overall, the review offers a practical roadmap for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to utilise EO to enhance productivity and resilience across Southern African agriculture.