BayWa AG and the European Space Agency (ESA) have entered into a partnership to advance the use of satellite data in agriculture. The partnership targets the ideal application of satellite data in agricultural processes in order to create positive effects regarding the use of resources and water, as well as for harvest yields.

The ESA will contribute technical expertise focused on accessing and interpreting data from satellites, such as the fleet of Sentinels for Europe's Copernicus programme. In particular, the Sentinel-2 satellite will provide images for monitoring plant growth. It is possible to differentiate between various agricultural crops.

'By teaming up with the ESA, we are gaining access to cutting-edge technology for the digital farming solutions of our Group subsidiary FarmFacts. As an agricultural trading company, we are excited to harness this technology in the medium term for the benefit of farms, regardless of their size,' said Klaus Josef Lutz, Chief Executive Officer of BayWa AG. BayWa agricultural experts will provide feedback and contribute important information to the partnership on the validity and usefulness of the satellite data.

'The swift integration of data from the Copernicus Sentinel fleet into agronomic models is a key criterion for forecasting harvest yields and for other food supply issues,' added Josef Aschbacher, Director ESA Earth Observation Programmes. 'BayWa is therefore an ideal partner for the ESA in order for us to validate and improve our satellite-based models and products in this respect.'

The alliance also features a partnership in the ESA Copernicus Masters 2018 innovation competition. It boasts a specific Farming/Agriculture Challenge, which aims to promote new ways to use satellite data in agriculture.

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BayWa AG published this content on 24 May 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
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Original documenthttps://www.baywa.com/en/press/press_releases/group/news/article/baywa-and-esa-enter-into-partnership-to-harness-satellite-data-for-farmers/

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