Satellites Used to Boost Grape Production

South Africa is the place where green technologies guarantee that farmers use just the right amount of water. One major vineyard is enrolled in the GrapeLook and its owner hopes to obtain a more than decent harvest due to satellite information combined with field measurements.

All in all, this method helps preserve a significant amount of water otherwise wasted on crops. The whole system is designed to reveal the quantity of water spent, the development of crops and overall, how efficient farming techniques have been so far, PhysOrg informs.

Real-time moisture readings are a real blessing both for scientists and farmers who experience their benefits.

The information, reflected by a series of maps is available online, so that both grape growers and water managers can check the data on a daily basis to witness their progress.

In times when water has become a more and more scarce resource that has to satisfy the demand of 7 billion people, GrapeLook sounds like a great green tool aiming to revolutionize agriculture by making it more sustainable.

Officials behind this project say that, apart from preserving huge amounts of water, their system has also helped growers improve the quality of their wine, while saving more than a few dollars.

Moreover, GrapeLook project offers unlimited access to soil moisture forecasts, helping farmers find out more about irrigation requirements and crop development.

The best news is that developers could support the project for another year, to raise the level of awareness of South African people regarding the advantages of this trial.

“The GrapeLook service shows how satellite technology benefits farmers.It not only helps farmers to reduce water usage, it also increases sustainability and production. Next steps are to expand the service to other crops and areas,” has revealed Annemarie Klaasse, a land and water use specialist for WaterWatch.

Once the success of this initiative is certain, the satellite-based project could expand to other kinds of crops, improving harvests and keeping the people in developing countries far away from famine and poverty.