SPACE TECH. Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering Director Ariodear Rico (front left) shakes hands with Philippine Space Agency Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. (front right) following their signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Feb. 21, 2024. The DA on Monday (Feb. 26) said the MOA aims to use advanced space technology to modernize monitoring of farm-to-market roads and agricultural commodities in the country. (Photo courtesy of PhilSA)
MANILA – Even the advanced space technology shall now be used to help boost the country's agricultural sector, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday.
In a news release, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) secured its partnership with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) to modernize the monitoring of agricultural commodities and farm-to-market roads (FMR).
“The collaboration between DA-BAFE and PhilSA exemplifies the spirit of partnership and synergy that is essential for driving meaningful change. By pooling together our respective expertise and resources, we can co-create innovative solutions that have the potential to revolutionize the way we approach agriculture,” he said.
Under the memorandum of agreement (MOA), both agencies shall “utilize satellite data and space technology applications” through the DigitalAgri Phase 1 project (Farm-to-Market Road and Agricultural Commodity Geodatabase and Remote Sensing Application Phase 1).
"Using technology and data analytics, we can gain invaluable insights into crop health, and soil conditions, enabling us to make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions,” Tiu Laurel said.
In a separate statement, the PhilSA said the DigitalAgri Phase 1 project entails the use of remote sensing applications, road type, and accessibility mapping, which shall provide near real-time updates on the FMR and movement of agricultural commodities.
“DigitalAgri Phase 1 will facilitate joint research, development, and operationalization activities between the two government agencies through the provision of data from Earth observation (EO) satellites and utilization of space applications and technologies,” it added.
The project’s pilot implementation, meanwhile, shall be launched in Nueva Ecija.
The DA-BAFE and PhilSA earlier signed the MOA on Feb. 21 in Quezon City in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to boost agricultural production, secure efficient logistics, and provide affordable and sustainable food for Filipinos.
In October 2023, Marcos underscored the importance of industrializing the agriculture sector to realize his administration’s goal of attaining food sufficiency and food security in the country. (PNA)
