Pakistan has launched a new system to more accurately forecast crop yields using satellite data, the government announced.

The government will use satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems to collect crop data. It will be able to calculate crop yields and also forecast losses from natural disasters.

The new system will replace the previous manual calculation of crop yield forecasts and will decrease the costs of data collection, the government said.

The system was installed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The project will start with two provinces - Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan will take satellite imagery twice a year and will conduct field surveys during the two cropping seasons, local media reported.

Crop yield forecasting is important for the government to plan the country’s export targets and ensure food security, especially for the two major crops, wheat and rice, said Patrick Evans, FAO representative for Pakistan. If the government knows that the yield of wheat or rice is going to be low, it can take measures to prevent any shortages.

Source - http://www.futuregov.asia/