Latest reports suggest that Geoscientists are planning to use satellite imagery to access accurate information on specific farms and analyse it as part of efforts to help Uganda farmers attain better yields by solving climate change challenges the growers are faced with.
The technology which is being implemented under a one-year project where scientists secured a server with 24-hour-enabled internet connectivity to host the regional mapping centre in Pretoria, South Africa, is done in collaboration with agriculture scientists from Australian Centre for International Agriculture and Research who have been using the technology to help their farmers in solving climate change-related challenges.
This was made known during a sensitization meeting organized by Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) where the scientists were being trained in analysing information on the digital earth website.
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Speaking during the meeting, Joshua Okonya, the programme officer for technology and innovations at ASARECA said that his team was building capacity of routine users of earth observation data which will help them access information about plant health on farmer fields including water density of water bodies which can be used by farmers in irrigating their farms.
“Our aim is that, once the scientists absorb the gist of the technology, they can give advisory information to farmers, especially about the weather forecast,” Okonya said, adding that using satellite imagery the experts are able to analyse soil texture and advice farmers accordingly which soil in a specific farm requires boosting with fertiliser and manure to acquire better yields.
On his part, Joseph Tuyishimire, user engagement manager at Digital Earth Africa explained that information can be accessed on the digital earth satellite through several notebooks where information is stored. He added that the information can then be stored inform of maps where scientists can analyse plant health, water density, data on soil fertility including farming in wetlands among others.
Story was adapted from Farmers Review Africa.
