Catherine Nakalembe

Dr. Catherine Nakalembe serves as an Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland and the Africa Program Director under NASA Harvest. She is also a member of the NASA SERVIR Applied Sciences Team where she serves as the Agriculture and Food Security Thematic Lead.

• University of Maryland faculty member leading agricultural remote sensing initiatives
• Africa Program Director for NASA Harvest focusing on food security
• NASA SERVIR Applied Sciences Team member with thematic leadership in agriculture

Dr. Nakalembe specializes in satellite remote sensing and machine learning applications to agriculture, with extensive work on land use and land-use change mapping across Africa. Her research addresses critical challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, where over 60% of the population depends on small-scale farming. She has developed innovative approaches combining street-level data collection with satellite observations to create practical solutions for agricultural monitoring. Her work has led to the establishment of satellite data-based crop monitoring systems in multiple African countries, helping address vulnerabilities related to infrastructure limitations, access to farming inputs, and climate change impacts.

Dr. Nakalembe has received recognition for her leadership in applying Earth observations to agricultural challenges, though specific awards aren't detailed in the available information. Her work with NASA Harvest focuses on developing novel solutions that combine field-scale analytics with spaceborne observations to deliver cutting-edge tools for smallholders and supporting institutions.

She leads methods and systems development projects specifically tailored for smallholder agriculture in Africa using remote sensing and machine learning technologies. Her initiatives help bridge the gap between satellite data and practical agricultural decision-making for vulnerable farming communities across the continent.