Occulta Invenimus Omnia
Securing Agriculture's Critical Infrastructure
Agricultural Security is National Security
Food, Agriculture and Water are essential for life, for our economy and our nation’s wellbeing. Because of their importance, they have been designated by the Federal Government to be “Critical Infrastructures”, which perform “Critical Functions”.
The Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) describes Critical Infrastructures as “those assets, systems, and networks that provide functions necessary for our way of life.” Critical Functions in turn are those “so vital to the United States that their disruption, corruption, or dysfunction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.”
In a nutshell, Food, Agriculture and Water are essential elements of National Security. As such they must be protected against attacks by sophisticated malign actors and states in times of both peace and war.
National Security is rapidly evolving in anticipation of meeting tomorrow’s threats and the actions of threat actors. New partnerships are developing as a result. Rapid innovation is essential. It is made possible through those partnerships.
Food, Agriculture and Water Measures and Signatures Intelligence (FAW-MASINT)
FAW-MASINT, or Food, Agriculture and Water and Measurement and Signature Intelligence, is a type of intelligence analysis that examines physical attributes, or the “signatures” of targets of interest (e.g., livestock, crops, forests, aquatic systems, etc.) or events (e.g., disease outbreaks in animals and plants) to determine their location, characteristics, and identity. FAW-MASINT focuses on measuring and identifying the unique features of objects to facilitate their detection, identification, or characterization.
FAW-MASINT Subdisciplines
Electro-Optical
Crop Stress Detection
Thermal Monitoring of Livestock
Geophysical
Soil Moisture Profiling
Livestock Movement Sensing
Radar
Biomass Estimation
Perimeter Monitoring
Materials
Chemical Residue Analysis
Air/Water Quality
Volatilomes
The unique signature (biomarker) of volatile emissions from any actively metabolizing organisms (humans, animals, plant, microorganisms, etc.). During times of wellness and disease, (preclinical, clinical, and post-clinical) volatile metabolites are released, providing signatures (Volatilomes) that are unique and detectable. An example of a detectable Volatilome change occurs during sickness in humans and animals, when “dysbiosis” occurs, meaning the gut microbiome changes, the result of an imbalance in the gut between beneficial and harmful bacteria.
Pattern of Life Analysis (PoL)
PoL is an analytical method that seeks to identify habits, activities, and behaviors of terrestrial and aquatic animals (acting individually or in groups, herds, or schools -fish, etc.), plants or ecosystems. Using data from multiple sources, the analysis can identify recurring patterns (e.g., migration, seasonal effects, etc.), anomalies (e.g., animals acting in an abnormal manner such as might be indicative of sickness or the changing conformation of plants) and potential risks (pre-clinical indicators of disease, environmental stress, etc.).
Food, Agriculture, Water and Future War
The nexus between food, agriculture, water, and conflict is complex, with all four being interconnected and influencing each other. War can severely disrupt agricultural production, damage infrastructure, and lead to food shortages and water scarcity, potentially exacerbating existing tensions and creating new conflicts. Conversely, food and water insecurity contribute to instability and conflict, making these resources targets of disputes.
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