Space Technology in Agriculture

Overview

• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare is integrating space technology into key agricultural functions:

  • Crop forecasting

  • Drought monitoring

  • Insurance support (PMFBY)

  • Decision support systems

Major Initiatives Using Space Tech

1. FASAL Project

• Full form: Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land-based observations

• Purpose: Crop production forecasting using satellite data.

• Major Crops Covered:

  • Rice, wheat, tur, rapeseed & mustard, rabi jowar, cotton, jute, sugarcane, soybean, lentil, and gram.

2. Drought Monitoring

• Geoportal developed with SAC (ISRO), Ahmedabad.

• Tracks multiple indicators:

  • Rainfall

  • Soil moisture

  • Satellite-based crop condition

  • Water storage levels

3. Support to PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana)

• Space tech used in:

  • Smart Sampling for Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs)

  • Yield estimation

  • Dispute resolution (area/yield disputes)

Krishi-DSS (Decision Support System)

• Type: Cloud-based geo-spatial platform.

• Purpose: Empower stakeholders with real-time data.

• Data Hosted:

  • Satellite images

  • Weather data

  • Soil layers

  • Water-related datasets

  • Field-level information

• Features: Various AI/ML-based modules for agricultural decision-making.

YESTECH Initiative under PMFBY

• Full form: Yield Estimation System using Technology

• Pilot Period: 2019–2023 with Government & Private entities.

• Technologies Used:

  • Satellites

  • UAVs (Drones)

  • Simulation models

  • AI/ML algorithms

• Outcome:

  • GP-level yield estimates.

  • Rolled out from Kharif 2023 for Paddy & Wheat

  • Rolled out from Kharif 2024 for Soybean

  • Aims for timely & transparent insurance claim settlement.

Significance

• Strengthens evidence-based farm management.

• Enables transparent insurance processes.

• Supports climate-resilient agriculture and disaster preparedness.