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Building Resilience in Agriculture and Food Systems

Securing global food systems

We are committed to building climate resilience for specialist crops and agricultural systems at high risk of climate related hazards.

Delivering Granular information for finance providers: what is needed, where and by who

The UN has estimated $300 to $600 billion per year will need to be invested in climate resilience measures from 2020 to 2030 to address the global climate crisis, a figure, which is predicted to double by 2050.

Climate Resilience can only be achieved through effective allocation of capital, coordination between public and private sectors and good operational decisions – all requiring good information, based on sound data.

At Resilience Constellation we invest in and develop data and information products to inform decision making by governments, financial institutions, businesses and civil society.

“The Insights gleaned from this data was nothing like I’d ever come across. It’s equipped us with exactly what we need to make decisions for the future”

Eve CrawfordHead of Infrastructure

Working with those that see the change possible

We are working with the following partners and customers to build a full range of data and information products needed to support financial decisions on climate resilience:

  • The University of Edinburgh
  • UK Space Agency
  • EcoOnline
  • Craft Prospect
  • Assimila
  • European Space Agency

Meet our team...

Richard Tipper

CEO

After graduating in Agricultural Science, Richard worked as an advisor to coffee growers in Mexico, followed by a doctoral study of farmers' responses to changing prices and further research on the use of climate finance to support agroforestry. Richard was nominated as an expert author on the IPCC’s Special Report on Land Use and Forestry, work later recognised as a contribution to the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. From 2008 to 2023, he co-founded software firm Ecometrica, gaining experience of all stages of business development. Richard has also acted as an independent evaluator for several international climate finance programmes. In addition to leading Resilience Constellation, Richard acts as Chief Science Officer for EcoOnline, enjoys coffee and playing the double bass. He was awarded an MBE for services to climate change mitigation in 2022.

John Mayhew

COO

John is our Chief Operating Officer, responsible for delivery of resilience products and services to our customers. He enjoys finding practical solutions to tricky problems and has played an important part in developing Resilience Constellation's Climate Resilience Ratings methodology. Over his career he has worked in both technical and management roles on climate change projects in agriculture, forest, energy and water sectors across South and South-East Asia, East Africa and Europe.

Nicole Imrie

Marketing Executive

Nicole is our Marketing executive with skills in digital marketing. With a recent BA (hons) in marketing with digital media, she brings a blend of creativity and strategic skills to the team. With prior experience of marketing within the finance industry, Nicole has a valuable understanding of target audiences and effective communication. Her role is dedicated to driving the growth and success of Resilience Constellation.

Olivia Cash

Market Analyst

Olivia is our market analyst. She is responsible for conducting research relevant to the climate finance sector and liaising with industry stakeholders. With a degree in Politics, International Relations and French (BA) from the University of Bristol, Olivia uses strong analytical and critical thinking skills to identify opportunities for Resilience Constellation's growth. Olivia's experience working for a rights-based NGO and academic understanding of the global political economy renders her well placed to source impactful opportunities for climate resilience.

Sammi Grewal

Data Manager

Sammi graduated in 2022 with a first class BSc in Astrophysics and is currently studying MSc Urban Analytics are the University of Glasgow. He is developing the Climate Resilience Ratings framework and generating actionable insights through data analysis and visualisation. He has applied his numerical skills to corporate carbon accounting and ESG to aid decision making for various organisations.

Mike Davidson

CFO

Mike is our Chief Financial Officer, experienced business advisor, mentor and strategist, with particular expertise in high growth owner-managed technology companies. He plays an active role in the not-for-profit sector and has built extensive experience in business planning, corporate finance, business valuation, exit strategies, financial reporting systems and tax strategies.

Simon Ling

Chairman and non-exec director

Simon is a non executive director and chair of our Board. With years of international experience, he has become adept at developing financing techniques that tackle the challenges of climate change. Throughout his career he has honed his skills in creating innovative solutions to reduce climate related financial risks and environmental impacts. In his government role, Simon advised on policy formulation for government-wide strategies for climate impact mitigation. Within the private sector, he worked with many large international banks and global development agencies, creating climate-friendly financing techniques that supported sustainable development on a global scale.

Lorna Hudson

Non-exec director

Lorna is one of our non-exec directors. She runs her own business called Individual Impact which works with companies such as William Grant, Coutts and University of St Andrews to help develop their people.
Her role at Resilience Constellation is to sense-check the direction of the business and to provide straight talking if and when required.

Ceri Shaw

CTO

Ceri is our fractional Chief Technology Officer. She has over 20 years working in tech as a developer and technical leader and has led product engineering teams in a number of different organisations from small start-ups through to large multinationals. Her mission is to support start-ups and scale-ups to build amazing engineering teams with awesome cultures.

Andrew Shaw

Satellite Advisor

Andy is our Satellite and Earth Observation Advisor, and works on our ESA-funded satellite project. He operates at the interface between commercial, government and research sectors. He has worked with a diverse client base, which includes the Satellite Applications Catapult, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Science and Tehcnology Facilities Council (STFC) and Centre for Food Security, based at the University of Reading.

Lewis Rattray

GIS advisor

Lewis is our GIS Advisor and works with Resilience Constellation to identify efficient and engaging methods of analysing and demonstrating the GIS data involved in satellite-based analysis. Lewis specialises in sustainable finance, deforestation free agriculture and nature and climate disclosures. He typically works with financial institutions, corporations and government departments, with a focus on Latin America.

Ruth Malleson

Independent Advisor & Researcher

Ruth is an anthropologist with over 30 years’ experience researching, working and
teaching in the fields of natural resource management, forest governance, climate
change, agriculture and monitoring and evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast
Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. Working with farmers, fisherfolk, forest
dwellers, indigenous peoples, pastoralists as well as organisations including: NGOs,
Ecometrica Ltd; the EU and the UK government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Qualifications in Anthropology (PhD) and Agricultural and Forest Sciences (Masters), give her strong inter-disciplinary insights into climate change resilience and sustainability.

Blair Cunningham

Data Systems Advisor

Blair has developed Resilience Constellation's digital framework and systems for analysing agricultural data to produce Climate Resilience Ratings, and continues to advise on data processing and system enhancement. Blair graduated in 2020 with a BSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology before transitioning to a role in teaching. His scientific background and experience in the education sector have instilled keen investigative and problem solving skills, which have equipped him for this role.

Jayamini Samarakoon

Field Manager

Jayamini is our Field Manager in Sri Lanka, responsible for data collection from farms across all parts of the country. He has a degree in Engineering, with management and technical skills gained from wide-ranging fieldwork in agriculture, forestry and infrastructure sectors. He is an effective communicator, able to engage with farmers from varied economic and cultural backgrounds.

Temidayo Paul Aturu

Independent Researcher

Paul is an agricultural researcher and writer with a bachelor's degree in Agriculture. He is currently pursuing his master's program at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. With extensive research experience working with various organizations in agroecology, climate change, and food security, he aims to develop news reports and articles for a general audience at Resilience Constellation.

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Technology

Satellite based earth observation is a powerful tool to monitor and assess conditions in agricultural systems, forests and water resources. 

Resilience Constellation has expertise in translating scientific data and information into operational systems for business, addressing key challenges. We bring together the best technologies and expertise to deliver scalable solutions. We have experience of delivering successful initiatives in several countries.

Through our contract with ESA on the VOLT mission we will access the next generation of high resolution hyperspectral imagery in addition to mainstay sources of data such as the Sentinels and climate monitoring networks.

Find out more

Frequently Asked Questions

Have further questions?

Contact us

What are the different stages involved in a Climate Resilience Ratings project?

Our ratings are delivered through a multi-step process as follows:

  1. Background Research into the situation and definition of the target groups.
  2. Configuration of a rating survey based on our templates – customisation or preliminary testing, as required.
  3. Data collection, which can include training and support of data collectors, if required.
  4. Data Analysis and triangulation with climate records and satellite information.
  5. Formation of a climate resilience rating report and feedback to farmers.

Contact us to discuss further details on how we can tailor our approach to the needs of  your organisation.

What is a Climate Resilience Rating?

A measure of climate resilience. The resilience rating ranges from A (high resilience/ low vulnerability) to E (low resilience/ high vulnerability). The resilience rating is derived from a resilience index score, which is a function of scores for four separate component indices for exposure, sensitivity, adaptability and transformability

How does Resilience Constellation ensure the success of their projects?

At Resilience Constellation we work closely with our clients throughout the entire project lifecycle to ensure that their objectives are met. Our approach can be tailored to meeting the specific needs of each organisation.

How do our Climate Resilience Ratings benefit the farmers involved?

Our aim is to share the results of our surveys with the farmers who have contributed. To do this we are developing a platform that will enable farmers to:

  1. Benchmark their performance against other farmers in the same country or region;
  2. Gain access to ideas from other farmers in the area and individuals with relevant expertise on how to increase their resilience.

The nature of the information we are able to share with farmers will depend to some extent on the requirements of our customers.

What is the difference between climate change adaptation and climate resilience?

While often used interchangeably, in this context, adaptation and resilience have distinct meanings:
Climate change adaptation: Refers to the process of adjusting to immediate or expected impacts of climate change.
Climate resilience: The capacity of systems (social, economic and environmental) to cope with climate hazards. It goes beyond adaptation and includes the ability to anticipate, withstand, recover, and learn to adapt to a changing climate.

What are the key regulatory and voluntary reporting requirements to support climate change and resilience in agriculture?

Key regulatory and voluntary reporting requirements and standards include the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) in the EU, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and Global Reporting Initiative standards (GRI).

Our Climate Resilience Rating Reports can provide you the insights needed to effectively meet these reporting requirements.