Satellite-based technology, led by ISRO’s Earth Observation (EO) capabilities, acts as a force multiplier for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), enabling resilient food systems against the vagaries of the South-West Monsoon and climate change.

Satellite-Based Agriculture Linking Remote Sensing, Farm Operations, Crops and Soil Monitoring

Role in Achieving Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)

1. Crop Condition Monitoring: Periodic assessment of crop health using multispectral data.

   • Eg: The FASAL (Forecasting Agriculture using Space, Agrometeorology and Land-based observations) project.

2. Soil Moisture Mapping: Utilizing microwave remote sensing for irrigation scheduling.

   • Eg: Data from RISAT-1 and NISAR (upcoming) helps in precision moisture estimation.

3. Precision Resource Application: Optimizing fertilizer and pesticide use through Variable Rate Technology (VRT).

   • Eg: High-resolution imagery from Cartosat series for site-specific nutrient management.

4. Agro-Meteorological Advisories: Providing real-time weather updates to mitigate climate risks.

   • Eg: INSAT-3DR provides vertical profiles of temperature and humidity for local forecasts.

5. Carbon Sequestration Tracking: Monitoring biomass and vegetation indices to quantify carbon sinks.

   • Eg: Use of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to assess agro-forestry health.

6. Methane Emission Monitoring: Identifying high-emission zones in paddy cultivation for mitigation.

7. Pest and Disease Surveillance: Early warning systems based on environmental triggers like humidity.

   • Eg: Satellite data used to track Locust swarms in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

8. Water Resource Management: Mapping canal networks and aquifer recharge zones.

   • Eg: Bhuvan-Bhujal portal for groundwater prospecting.

Role in Ensuring Food Security

1. Yield Prediction: Pre-harvest production estimates for better price and stock management.

   • Eg: CHAMAN project for mapping and yield estimation of horticulture crops.

2. Crop Insurance Settlement: Objective damage assessment for faster payouts under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

3. Drought Vulnerability Assessment: Early detection of agricultural drought through moisture stress monitoring.

   • Eg: The National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS).

4. Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ): Guiding artisanal fishers to productive areas, increasing marine food supply.

   • Eg: Oceansat-2 data disseminated via INCOIS.

5. Wasteland Reclamation: Identifying fallow lands suitable for cultivation to increase net sown area.

   • Eg: Wasteland Atlas of India developed using remote sensing.

6. Supply Chain Optimization: Integrating GIS with logistics to reduce post-harvest losses.

7. Targeted Public Distribution: Mapping food demand vs. production surplus to stabilize the PDS supply chain.

Way Forward

1. Digital Agriculture Mission: Integration of satellite data with AI and IoT to democratize insights for smallholders.

2. Hyper-local Data: Enhancing spatial resolution to provide farm-level (rather than district-level) advisories.

Integrating space technology into the agrarian landscape is essential to achieve SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and the Paris Agreement goals by building a climate-resilient Viksit Bharat.