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Satellite-based precision farming scheme soon

Our Bureau

BANGALORE, Oct. 29

AN integrated precision agriculture planning scheme using remote sensing satellite data is being worked out to optimise crop output across the country.

The scheme is targeted at the fragmented and small and marginal farm holdings. Under the scheme, using IRS data, the agencies would develop aggregated cropping strategies for optimum use of land and water resources for small farmers, the DoS Secretary an d the ISRO Chairman, said Dr K. Kasturirangan, said while delivering the Sardar Patel memorial lecture on Socio-economic development through space here.

The joint programme under the Department of Space is in the concept stage and will involve the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, the Department of Biotechnology and the Indian Council for Agricultural Research.

Precision farming, he said, would give small farmers key inputs and also help them to cope with external challenges such as pricing and markets. Remote sensing-based forecasting has shown more than 90 per cent accuracy.

Another comprehensive national system to forecast crop estimates using satellite-based information, FASAL (Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land based observations), is being established jointly by the Ministry of Agricul ture and DoS. Pilot studies under FASAL are under way in Orissa for kharif rice, ragi and groundnut and jute.

Pre-harvest acreage estimates have been made for rice in Andhra, sorghum in Karnataka, mustard in Assam and Haryana, wheat in Bihar and Haryana and Himachal and sugarcane in Maharashtra.

DoS is also working in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment to locate and map drinking water sources in 1.2 lakh habitations in five States.

A national bio-diversity project was being worked out with DBT, starting with the North- East, Dr Kasturirangan said.