Can Poverty Levels Be Estimated Using Satellite Data? Chris Elvidge NOAA – National Geophysical Data Center 325 Broadway, E/GC2 Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A Email: [email protected]K.E. Baugh, B.T. Tuttle, A.T. Howard and P.J. Hayes University of Colorado – CIRES 325 Broadway E/GC2 Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A E.H. Erwin NOAA – National Geophysical Data Center 325 Broadway, E/GC2 Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A July 17, 2006
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Can poverty rates be estimated from satellite data?
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Can Poverty Levels Be Estimated Using Satellite Data?
Chris ElvidgeNOAA – National Geophysical Data Center
K.E. Baugh, B.T. Tuttle, A.T. Howard and P.J. Hayes
University of Colorado – CIRES325 Broadway E/GC2
Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A
E.H. ErwinNOAA – National Geophysical Data Center
325 Broadway, E/GC2Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A
July 17, 2006
Global PovertyGlobal Poverty The World Bank estimates that 40% The World Bank estimates that 40%
of all people live in poverty (2.6 of all people live in poverty (2.6 billion).billion).
The primary source for poverty The primary source for poverty estimates are household surveys and estimates are household surveys and government statistics (from tax government statistics (from tax reports, etc.).reports, etc.).
Poverty levels are reported for entire Poverty levels are reported for entire countries or states.countries or states.
Problems in Estimating Poverty Problems in Estimating Poverty LevelsLevels
It is difficult to define a uniform definition or It is difficult to define a uniform definition or method for measuring poverty.method for measuring poverty.
National definitions of poverty tend to be National definitions of poverty tend to be subjective. For instance many people counted as subjective. For instance many people counted as in poverty in the USA own automobiles – a sign of in poverty in the USA own automobiles – a sign of wealth in many other countries.wealth in many other countries.
Difficult to reconcile income versus consumption Difficult to reconcile income versus consumption based data from surveys.based data from surveys.
Not all countries measure or report poverty levels Not all countries measure or report poverty levels and the methods and timetables used vary and the methods and timetables used vary substantially.substantially.
It is possible for governments to bias poverty It is possible for governments to bias poverty estimates.estimates.
World Bank’s World Development World Bank’s World Development Indicator’s Poverty Map - 2005Indicator’s Poverty Map - 2005
Temporal Distribution of the Temporal Distribution of the National Poverty Data for 2005National Poverty Data for 2005
Estimation of Poverty Using Estimation of Poverty Using Satellite DataSatellite Data
Global coverage – making estimates Global coverage – making estimates where no other data are available.where no other data are available.
Standardized measurement.Standardized measurement. Uniform timing.Uniform timing. Disaggregated grid of poverty levels Disaggregated grid of poverty levels
has more applications than national has more applications than national level estimates for understanding level estimates for understanding poverty and planning solutions.poverty and planning solutions.
DOE LandScan 2004 Population DOE LandScan 2004 Population DensityDensity
Sources: Census data, MODIS land cover, SRTM topographyand high resolution satellite imagery.
Issues FoundIssues Found High poverty rates assumed for population High poverty rates assumed for population
with no detected lights – which may with no detected lights – which may overestimate poverty in wealthier overestimate poverty in wealthier countries.countries.
The nighttime lights product used has The nighttime lights product used has saturation in urban centers – introducing saturation in urban centers – introducing inaccuracies in poverty estimates in urban inaccuracies in poverty estimates in urban cores.cores.
There are cultural and technological There are cultural and technological differences in lighting that have not been differences in lighting that have not been accounted for. accounted for.
ConclusionsConclusions The first consistent global map of poverty levels The first consistent global map of poverty levels
has been produced.has been produced. Poverty levels have been estimated in a large Poverty levels have been estimated in a large
number of countries where data were not number of countries where data were not available previously.available previously.
Discrepancies between reported poverty levels Discrepancies between reported poverty levels and the satellite estimates probably arise both and the satellite estimates probably arise both from inaccuracies in the reported data and the from inaccuracies in the reported data and the satellite data / methodology / assumptions.satellite data / methodology / assumptions.
A new class of poverty map has been produced A new class of poverty map has been produced and can be expectd to impove in accuracy over and can be expectd to impove in accuracy over time. time.