PhilSA, PhilRice ink deal where satellite data will address effects of drought

The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) have forged a partnership to create crop-specific drought maps from satellite data to lessen the impact of the dry season on agriculture.

The agreement was signed by PhilSA Deputy Director General Denis Villorente and PhilRice Executive Director John de Leon on Monday.

“PhilSA will leverage rice maps and field data from the DA-PhilRice to generate rice-specific drought maps, which will provide valuable insights for agricultural planning and resilience,” said PhilSA in a statement on Tuesday.

The agreement also seeks to maximize the use of PhilSA’s Satellite Mission Analysis, Planning, Product Enhancement and Development project, “which aims to monitor, predict, and mitigate drought impacts on agriculture through space-based technologies.”

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service earlier said that 2024 is considered the world’s warmest year on record.

Meanwhile, the recent El Niño hit 170,469 hectares of agricultural lands nationwide, data from the DA showed.

Among the regions, Cagayan Valley was the hardest-hit with 46,511 hectares of agricultural land affected, followed by Western Visayas and Mimaropa. —RF, GMA Integrated News