Satellites: Farmers’ New Ally Against Global Warming Impacts

As global warming continues to alter traditional agricultural practices, satellite technology is emerging as a pivotal tool for farmers worldwide. In wine-growing regions of France, for instance, shifting climate patterns are prompting vintners to rely on satellites for optimal harvest timings. Companies like Ticinum Aerospace and TerraNIS offer precise data, enabling producers to make decisions grounded in real-time insights rather than age-old traditions.

Such data-driven approaches, once popular only in regions like Bordeaux, are now spreading throughout France. Beyond winemaking, the broader agricultural industry stands to benefit as global warming jeopardizes food security, amplifies malnutrition rates, and brings various regions to the brink of famine. Experts see the potential in freely available Earth-observation data, providing farmers with critical insights on crop disease, water stress, and nutrient needs, among other factors.

Marc Tondriaux of TerraNIS believes that integrating satellite and drone data with GPS-equipped farm machinery can revolutionize farming practices. Such innovations could potentially reduce the agriculture sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 13%, as per a report from the World Economic Forum. This report also predicts the satellite data market in agriculture to reach nearly $1 billion by 2030, with significant savings in crop-loss prevention and water use.

Traditional uses of satellite technology, like assessing large-scale harvests, are expanding to benefit individual farmers. Satellites, whether from NASA, the European Space Agency, or private entities like Planet, offer ground images that provide vital information on vegetation health and soil quality. Techniques, such as the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), are becoming integral in assessing soil nutrients and guiding precise fertilizer application.

Broad adoption of this technology could be transformative, safeguarding food supplies and mitigating global warming impacts. Recognizing its potential, policymakers in the European Union and the US are introducing measures to incorporate satellite monitoring in agricultural policies, emphasizing its role in reducing emissions, optimizing fertilizer use, and supporting precision farming.