ISLAMABAD, Dec 12 (APP):Minister for National Food Security and Research Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar Thursday chaired a meeting regarding the utility of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, (SUPARCO) crop reporting data through satellite technology, along with provincial crop reporting services data.
Representatives from SUPARCO, members Crop Reporting Services – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and senior officials of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research were present in the meeting.
The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the utility of devising a comprehensive crop reporting strategy through satellite technology under the supervision of food security ministry with inclusion of Crop Reporting Services of all the provinces.
Moreover, the zoning of country for identifying major and minor crop zones requires provincial feedback and inclusion of work already done in this respect.
SUPARCO is Pakistan’s premier national space agency of the government of Pakistan, responsible for the nation’s public and civil space programme and aeronautics and aerospace research, with a mandate to strive to achieve self-reliance in space technology and its application for national security, economy and society.
Among SUPARCO’s focused areas earth observation is also very important which also include managing natural resources, such as energy, freshwater and agriculture.
It is pertinent to mention that a project monitoring of Crops through satellite technology in collaboration with SUPARCO and NFS&R was implemented before as well.
Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar said utility of satellite technology is extremely important for identification and estimation of crop zoning, estimated yield, production capacity and weather forecast for perfect planning to overcome challenges faced due to the decrease in production of major crop.
In this technology, crop monitoring is performed using data and products obtained by moderate and high-resolution remote sensing satellites.
The federal minister was briefed by the CRS from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and SUPARCO and mechanism developed by these agencies for estimation of crop yield and crop area.
He said a consolidated monitoring system may be developed in collaboration with the ministry and could be replicated for the mapping of minor crops and to devise a strategy for addressing the issues relating to demand and supply of these commodities.
