How satellite data reshaped environmental monitoring decisions in the Amazon

This impact brief draws on an independent Outcome Evidencing evaluation of SERVIR-Amazonia's first phase (2019-2023). SERVIR-Amazonia is a NASA-USAID regional hub led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. The evaluation documented 14 verified outcomes across 10 public, private, NGO and university organizations, focusing on three flagship services: GeoGlows (hydrological forecasting), RAMI (radar-based detection of illegal mining) and MOCAF (monitoring of illegal logging). In Ecuador, daily forecasting and real-time river monitoring improved disaster response, and a 2024 decree made GeoGlows mandatory for relevant institutions. In Peru, monthly radar bulletins and forest monitoring tools supported prosecutors and the forest oversight agency in targeting raids and building court evidence. The findings show that durability depends less on the technology than on whether national institutions embed services in their mandates, regulations and budgets. The brief closes with six recommendations for programs and donors, including funding the institutionalization step, designing for NGO-government partnership and using crises as adoption windows.