Issues of space and time: Measurements and perceptions of agricultural productivity across the Malawian landscape

Keywords: modifiable areal unit problem, food security, Malawi, remote sensing of agriculture
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Understanding the when and where of crop productivity is vital to addressing changes to yields and food security, yet descriptive statistics and broad characterizations will vary depending on the spatial or temporal scale of analysis. Here, we assert that measuring agricultural productivity is a multi-scale problem that requires multi-scale solutions. This exploratory research investigates maize trends across Malawi giving specific attention to modifiable spatiotemporal unit problems by evaluating productivity across multiple time periods and administrative levels. A generalizable method is presented for visualizing multi-scale time-series remote sensing data in matrix and map form not only to elucidate the effects of modifiable spatiotemporal unit problems, but also to demonstrate how these problems serve as a useful research framework. For questions such as, “What portion of Malawi exhibits a negative linear trend in maize production?”, the answer depends on how space and time are organized. Ultimately, this research demonstrates an ontological problem in how agricultural productivity is measured, understood, and conveyed. To better confront how agriculture is assessed, adopting a multiscale framework may provide a more holistic view than the conventional single spatial or temporal selection.