Today@Sam Article

SHSU Awarded $1.2 Million NASA-Funded Project for Farming Innovation

Oct. 27, 2025
SHSU Media Contact: Emily Binetti

Yaping Xu, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental & Geosciences at SHSU, has been awarded a $1.2 million cooperative agreement from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through its Earth Systems Science Research (ESSR) program to establish the Forecasting Agricultural Research and Management Geospatial Operations (FARMGO) initiative.

Xu’s work integrates remote sensing, GIS, and climate modeling to study land use change, agricultural sustainability and environmental risk assessment. He has long explored how climate variability impacts ecosystems and resource management, particularly across the southern United States.

The grant is a collaborative effort with Xu’s colleague in the Department of Environmental & Geosciences Josh Gilliland along with Hannah Kerner (Arizona State University) and Ripendra Awal (Prairie View A&M University).

Over the next three years, FARMGO will leverage NASA Earth science data, artificial intelligence and geospatial technologies to help farmers and agricultural stakeholders in the Sun Belt region — particularly in Texas and Arizona. It will translate complex NASA datasets into clear, map-based insights accessible through a free public website, enabling users to plan in the face of climate variability and build resilience in their operations.

“The summer of 2023 was exceptionally dry—August saw almost no rainfall,” Xu said. “The drought returned in the summer of 2025, posing serious challenges for local farmers who struggled to plan ahead amid increasing uncertainty. Those experiences made me realize how urgently farmers need accessible, timely information to guide their decisions for sustainable agriculture. A simple, intuitive and informative tool could make a real difference.”

FARMGO will specifically monitor climate phenomena like El Niño–Southern Oscillation and convert that information into actionable guidance for farmers. The project aligns with NASA’s vision of turning Earth science into practical tools for decision-making at the local level.

 “NASA provides a wealth of satellite observations, but most farmers don’t have the training or resources to process satellite data or interpret statistical outputs on their own,” Xu said. “With FARMGO, we aim to close that gap and give farmers actionable information in just a few clicks through clear maps and practical statistical summaries. This approach not only helps farmers make better decisions, but also enhances the visibility and real-world impact of NASA’s Earth science products.”

The award was designed under NASA’s ESSR program, which fosters STEM research, workforce development and student engagement in Earth science disciplines.

The project exemplifies SHSU’s growing leadership in applied research that addresses real-world environmental challenges. As FARMGO advances, the university looks forward to the scientific discoveries, student experiences and community partnerships that will emerge from this important collaboration with NASA.

This project is supported by NASA under award number 80NSSC25M0074. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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