Iran to deploy mapping system to monitor key crop cultivation area
Iran’s telecoms ministry says it is working on a modern satellite imaging system that would enable the government to have a clear estimate about the cultivation area across the country for key crops.
The official IRNA news agency said in a Sunday report that
the new crop mapping system is part of a general government plan to modernize
Iran’s vast agriculture sector.
It said the system would be a serious boost to agriculture
planning in Iran as it provides accurate data on cultivation area and expected
yield for key crops like wheat and rice.
The remote analysis system also has the potential to assess
soil moisture, allowing farmers to have a clear estimate of the water needs for
crops.
The report did not provide any timetable for the rollout of
the system. However, a video published by the telecoms ministry on Saturday
suggested that the government would have satellite imaging working in the very
near future.
Iran’s strong agriculture sector has become a major
contributor to the general economy in recent years. Encouraged by rising
exports and better weather conditions, farmers have expanded cultivation area
for various products, helping the sector to grow by nearly 10 percent in the
calendar year ending March 2020.
The government has introduced more use of technology in
farming in recent years, including the increased mechanization that cuts costs
and raise yields.
IRNA said deploying crop mapping in Iran would enables the
so-called “precision farming”, giving information to farmers about how much
they should apply seeds, fertilizer or pesticide to their fields.
BS
