CNESMAG 83 - Agriculture : remote sensing raises the bar

Earth-observation data acquired from orbit across the wavelength spectrum enable the status of crop fields, pastures and water resources to be monitored in real time all over the globe and harvests and yields to be estimated. Space is also easing agriculture’s environmental footprint by aiding a more-integrated approach to managing inputs, fertilisers, phytosanitary products and water, while reducing energy consumption. As a tool supporting a broad range of policy initiatives on climate, the environment, security, transport, agriculture and the digital divide to name a few, space and the technological advances it is driving are a great asset that will help agriculture to rise to the demographic, health, environmental and climate challenges of the 21st century.