National Atlas of areas at risk of desertification — Impact Index: normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)

The Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of the Territory financed by act of 28-12-2001 the Experimental Institute for the Study and Defense of the Soil of Florence for the preparation of National Atlas of areas at risk of desertification at the scale of recognition (reference scales 1:100,000-1.250,000). The MATTM considers this Atlas as a preparatory instrument for the correct implementation of the National Plan for Combating Siccity and Desertification, adopted by the Italian State in implementation of the United Nations Convention on Combating Siccity and Desertification. The above-mentioned act provides for the participation of the National Institute of Agricultural Economics in its specific areas of competence. The study area includes Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lazio, Marche, Molise Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is one of the most widely used parameters for the definition of vegetation status and represents the vigour of vegetation activity. This index is therefore an indirect measure of the degree of functional agricultural-forestry sterility in natural areas.