From Space to Soil: ESA's Technology Advances Agriculture
The transformative impact of space-based innovations on sustainable farming
Image Source: Monopoly919/stock.adobe.com
By Mark Patrick, Mouser Electronics
Published September 5, 2024
In an era when the balance between advancing agricultural productivity and sustainability is more critical than ever, the concepts of smart and regenerative agriculture have emerged as vital tools for the future of farming. These innovative approaches aim to revolutionize the way we cultivate our lands, focusing on enhancing efficiency and reducing the ecological footprint of agricultural practices. However, with agriculture contributing to 19–29 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions,[1] this sector faces the dual challenge of feeding a growing global population while mitigating its own environmental impact. To meet these challenges, communities, farmers, governments, and non-governmental organizations are turning to smart agriculture, regenerative agriculture, and rewilding techniques.
Smart agriculture introduces advanced technologies such as precision farming tools, satellite imagery, and data analytics to optimize resource use and increase crop yields while minimizing waste and pollution. Regenerative agriculture goes a step further, emphasizing the restoration of soil health, biodiversity, and the ecosystem services essential for sustainable food systems. Rewilding is a conservation strategy that strives to restore and protect natural ecosystems by reducing human influence and reintroducing native species. Together, these approaches offer a promising pathway toward achieving food security, land restoration, and resilience against climate change.
However, the innovations transforming agriculture are not relegated to fields and groves. Remarkably, some of the most significant advancements originate from space, with organizations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) now playing a critical role in our agriculture.
Challenges Facing Smart and Regenerative Agriculture
Smart agriculture, regenerative agriculture, and rewilding are pivotal in managing land degradation, environmental restoration, and food security. By employing advanced technologies like satellite imagery, automation, and wireless soil sensors, smart agriculture aims to enhance farming practices, increase resource efficiency, and reduce environmental impact.
The importance of these approaches is underscored by the fact that nearly one-third of the world's arable land has been lost to erosion or pollution in the last four decades[2] (Figure 1), with the United Nations warning that 90 percent of the Earth's topsoil is likely to be at risk by 2050.[3]
Figure 1: A dusty field with damaged topsoil due to drought. (Source: Mikhail Pankov/stock.adobe.com)
Nevertheless, the adoption of smart agriculture faces challenges such as rising expenses associated with agriculture, restricted resource availability, and the demand for comprehensive social, economic, and regulatory transformations.
The Role of Space Technology in Agriculture
The advancements transforming our farms are not confined to on-site solutions. Some of the most significant innovations are found in space, such as the ESA Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, which features satellites orbiting 471 miles above Earth.[4]
Satellite imagery is a cornerstone of modern agriculture, offering a comprehensive view of vast agricultural areas. This technology allows farmers to monitor land use, identify degraded areas, and assess crop health with unparalleled precision. Additionally, climate monitoring via satellite data enables early detection of environmental stressors such as droughts, floods, and extreme weather events, allowing farmers to implement timely interventions and adapt their practices effectively.
The ESA supports smart and regenerative agriculture through its satellite data initiatives. By providing weekly and even daily images of locations worldwide, the ESA offers incredible insights into the impact of changing climates, past extreme weather events, and human-made disasters.
In the past, the use of extensive datasets such as those provided by the ESA was limited in terms of agricultural applications due to their complexity and the high cost associated with using large datasets for highly specific applications. However, advancements in computing power and large-data modeling with artificial intelligence (AI) have made it feasible to harness this data for a broader range of farming techniques.
ESA’s SMOS Mission
Launched in 2009, the ESA's SMOS mission collects global data on soil moisture and ocean salinity. The valuable data and observations gathered by the SMOS mission are instrumental in deepening our understanding of the complex dynamics between the Earth's surface and atmosphere. This, in turn, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of weather and climate models.
The SMOS satellite uses an interferometric radiometer operating in the L-band microwave range to capture images of “brightness temperature” by measuring surface radiation emissions. These images create accurate global maps of soil moisture with a precision of 4 percent at a spatial resolution of approximately 50km.[5] This data can indicate areas of overwatered or underwatered land, alerting farmers to drought or water stress.
Copernicus Program and Future Developments
Providing accurate, timely, and accessible information is crucial for improving environmental management. This information helps us understand climate challenges impacting both farming and society, enabling more effective navigation through these challenges. The European Union’s ambitious Copernicus program, in partnership with the ESA, goes beyond the SMOS mission, employing a combination of satellites, ground-based measurements, and advanced technology to monitor and manage various environmental elements.
The Sentinel satellite family (Figure 2) is a key component of the Copernicus program and forms the backbone of Earth observation activities. These satellites monitor land use, vegetation health, soil moisture, temperature, and weather patterns, providing valuable data for smart agriculture.
Figure 2: Existing and future ESA Earth observation missions. (Source: ESA)
Using Sentinel satellite data, farmers can track changes in land use, such as crop growth and vegetation health. This data supports sophisticated analysis for early detection of crop stress or disease, which optimizes irrigation and fertilization techniques and helps make informed decisions to maximize yields. When combined with ground-based sensors, this satellite data provides real-time information on soil moisture levels and temperature.
The Copernicus program also plays a crucial role in weather forecasting and climate monitoring by collecting data on atmospheric conditions, temperature patterns, and precipitation levels. It helps track livestock and monitor destructive species like moles or badgers, enabling farmers to plan their activities efficiently and reduce crop damage effectively.
How Satellites Are Impacting Our Fields and Forests
Currently, the ESA uses innovative satellite technologies to enhance farming practices in the Netherlands. As environmental concerns and regulatory requirements make farming increasingly complex, ESA satellites, including the SMOS and Copernicus Sentinel missions, provide crucial data that helps farmers optimize their operations.
The Netherlands ranks among the top global exporters of agricultural foods and products and continually focuses on incorporating innovative technologies to enhance productivity and ecological balance. The ESA’s satellite data is emerging as a pivotal tool in many areas of Dutch agricultural efforts, offering detailed insights into soil moisture, crop health, and growing conditions.
For instance, SMOS provides indispensable soil moisture measurements, allowing farmers to manage irrigation more effectively and predict crop yields with greater accuracy. The Institute of Environmental Sciences at the University of Leiden has also been using data from the Copernicus Sentinel mission for remote monitoring of both plants and roaming large herbivores (Figure 3) to help develop tools for managing and rewilding nature reserves near Amsterdam.[6]
Figure 3: Rewilded horses in the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve. (Source: Kruwt/stock.adobe.com)
The data provided by satellites and sensors on the ground is being used to build sophisticated machine learning (ML) techniques capable of better understanding the links between animal behavior and their surrounding vegetation.
Recently, SMOS data has been used to drive other areas of smart agricultural modeling. Due to the escalating prominence and severity of wildfires, the ESA and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) have been collaborating to merge SMOS data with Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index data in an effort to model better preparation.
Satellite data and remote sensing are combined to identify high-risk forest fire areas, resulting in a Fire Occurrence Probability Index (FOPI) ranging from 0 to 1 (Figure 4). A value above 0.8 indicates extreme danger, while 0 signifies no danger.[7] These insights help implement preventive measures and understand the causes and behavior of fire.
Figure 4: A map showing the number of days with FOPI values above 0.7 from May 1 to June 11, 2023. (Source: ESA)
The Copernicus program's data fuels advanced agricultural and environmental modeling, with even more complex initiatives emerging. For instance, the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (European DTO) is creating a digital replica of our oceans to restore Europe’s seas, focusing on sustainability and marine biodiversity protection.[8]
The integration of expanding data and computing capacity drives the development of an exceptionally accurate digital replica of the Earth, allowing scientists to address environmental and agricultural challenges effectively.
Conclusion
Satellite monitoring capabilities, like the SMOS and Copernicus missions, offer invaluable insights and tools for smart agriculture. Through data-driven decision-making, effective resource management, and adaptation to environmental changes, farmers can practice sustainable and efficient agriculture. This not only benefits the environment and society but also supports broader initiatives like regenerative agriculture and forest fire prevention.
Although the initial impact of space technology on our environments may not be immediately apparent, the ESA's work has already had a substantial effect, which will only grow in significance. With emerging technologies like soil sensors, farming automation, AI, and sophisticated modeling, space-based technology will play an increasingly vital role in avoiding crises, regenerating lands, and enhancing our food supply.
For more information, the ESA offers a wealth of publicly available observation data.
Sources
[1]https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Agriculture
[2]https://grantham.sheffield.ac.uk/soil-loss-an-unfolding-global-disaster/
[3]https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/07/1123462
[4]https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/smos
[5]https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/SMOS/
[6]https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Using_machine_learning_for_rewilding
[7]https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/SMOS/Forecasting_fires_with_SMOS
[8]https://www.copernicus.eu/en/news/news/observer-how-copernicus-marine-supports-european-digital-twin-ocean