Using space tech to improve palm oil transparency in Colombia
Using space tech to improve palm oil transparency in Colombia
- Palm oil is one of Colombia’s biggest agricultural exports, but the commodity has been linked to environmental and social damage in tropical areas around the world.
- Industry insiders say Colombian palm oil growers are underinsured as a group.
- A new $5 million project sponsored by the UK Space Agency aims to use satellites and other technology to monitor the country’s oil palm plantations.
- Project leaders say this could help solve some of the industry’s problems by providing more information to farmers and grower federations.
MEDELLIN, Colombia — Keeping an eye on what is going on out in the vast countryside of Colombia’s palm oil plantations is a challenge. But that may be about to change. Thanks to a combination of satellites, drones and the Internet of Things (IOT), farmers and scientists expect to be able to monitor palm oil yields months into the future, while keeping a real-time record of carbon emissions and biodiversity levels.
View full article at: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/09/using-space-tech-to-improve-palm-oil-transparency-in-colombia/