Agricultural monitoring satellites are one of the devices that can transform agriculture into a modern, high-tech industry. They allow us to know the condition of every field on the Earth’s surface. This feat may seem insignificant, but in fact it plays a key role in ensuring global food security.
The most profitable business of the 21st century
Everyone knows that in the 21st century, electronics, software and weapons are the most important goods. In reality, however, the importance of all these goods is dominated by another product – food. This only seems simple at first glance.
The number of people on earth continues to grow. At the same time, they all want to have enough to eat, and achieving this state already seems to be one of the most important achievements of human civilization. And this despite the fact that agriculture is still the most dependent on the vagaries of nature.
Rain, drought, viruses and bacteria, soil depletion – all of these factors could destroy crops at the best of times. But now the climate is changing, not least because of human activities. It is no longer possible to plough up uncultivated land and maximize its use. This will produce poor results at best and disaster at worst.
That’s why the future of the agricultural industry lies in using what we have efficiently. And that is not possible without the constant monitoring of huge areas. And this is where the companies that underestimate everything come to the aid of the people who work on the ground.
Who knows the condition of the fields best?
At first glance, no one can know more about this year’s crop than the people who grow it. In reality, however, this is not the case. People are small and fields are huge. Even if an agronomist visits thousands of hectares of land in a week, he still will not be able to quickly piece together all the information in his head to say exactly where the danger is coming from.
This requires a top-down view, the creation of electronic maps and the constant computer processing of the data obtained from them. Finally, some problems that have the potential to ruin not only an individual farmer but also cause problems in the global food market can be predicted in advance. But this requires constantly looking around each field and noticing tiny changes that are only visible when carefully comparing two sets of data.
Today, there is no better way to provide all farmers in the world with such information than through the use of agricultural monitoring satellites from EOS data analysisUnlike airplanes, the satellites already in orbit do not require fuel to collect data from every field on the planet.
This is exactly the service that EOS-DAa company that uses its own satellite EOS SAT to monitor fields in the visible and infrared bands. The company also obtains information from satellites of other operators. For Ukrainian farmers who are going through hard times due to the war, this service is provided free of charge via the EOS Plant Monitoring Platform.
It is essentially an online service that provides its customers with analysts’ opinions on their fields based on regular satellite images of those areas. Farmers all over the world pay a lot of money for such services, but Ukrainian farmers only have to fill out a form.
How satellites perceive drought
Of course, “satellite monitoring of fields” sounds very cool. But does such a service really make sense? Can we really live without it? The answer is simple if we remember that the main enemy of agriculture in the 21st century is water shortage. The climate in Eurasia and North America is becoming drier and groundwater aquifers are depleting.
All these abstract scientific facts play a significant role in the life of a particular farmer in the second half of summer. The rains are replaced by sunny days, and the crops and vegetables begin to dry out significantly. And the farmer begins to decide, based on his own experience, whether to harvest now or postpone this process for a week, and then, you know, it will rain again and the harvest will be better.
In an environment where there is not as much rainfall as there was 20 or 50 years ago, nor are there as many crops, it is easy to make a mistake. And any wrong decision can lead to great losses.
And this is where agricultural monitoring satellites come in. The point is that their images are not just photographs. The satellites’ sensors detect electromagnetic waves in a wide range of wavelengths, from ultraviolet to infrared. Essentially, they collect data on the intensity of reflected radiation at certain frequencies.
The most important is the narrow area just behind the visible red color. In this area, healthy, moist leaves reflect the sun’s rays most intensely, so by the reflection of these waves, it is possible to accurately judge whether the plant is receiving enough moisture or whether water deficiency is already having a negative impact on its health. Moreover, this indicator can be assessed for an entire field or even a group of fields. And the conclusion will be more accurate than that of an experienced farmer.
How satellites help with pest and weed control
The same applies to two other important challenges for the modern farmer: pest and weed control and soil exhaustion. Both require immediate intervention by the farmer at a clearly defined time. Satellite monitoring of EOS-DA will also help to determine it. The available methods allow not only to detect that something is wrong with the field, but also to determine the nature of the potential threat.
Finally, the use of fertilizers to increase yields and insecticides to control pests should be done in moderation. This can not only harm the environment and human health, but also ruin the field owner’s business.
Modern agricultural industry is very sensitive to rising costs of growing crops. The global food market depends on accurate forecasts. Even before the grain ripens in the fields of Ukraine, traders already know how it will be transported, where it will be resold and in which country the final consumer will be.
And if a farmer doesn’t have satellite data, that doesn’t mean those who buy grain from them don’t have access to it. Using this technology means you can talk to your business partners on an equal footing.
Satellite-based monitoring of the agricultural industry is important not only for individual farmers but also for governments – especially those with a significant share of agricultural exports.
The development of this sector always requires systemic solutions at the interface of crop production, ecology, biotechnology, financial policy and law. They cannot be simple and must be based on a comprehensive scientific assessment of the interactions between agriculture and the environment.
And only satellites can fully accomplish this task. That is why the agriculture of the future must transform from a traditional low-tech business to a high-tech business.
Agricultural surveillance satellites cannot protect Ukrainian fields from fires caused by Russian artillery shelling. There are other devices for that, such as ICEYE, used by Ukrainian military intelligence. However, they are quite capable of saving crops from other dangers.
