Research project SR/00/127 (Research action SR)
Objective
The ADASCIS project aims to develop a user-defined information system for agricultural damage and risk assessment based on remote sensing and agrometeorological modelling in support of the management of the Disaster Fund. In the broader context of agricultural insurances, the system could be used by the Flemish and Walloon authorities, the farmer organizations and the insurance sector to develop agricultural insurance products.
Method
The project is organized in two complementary phases in which the scientific and public partners will closely interact in order to develop a crop risk and damage assessment information system.
The first phase of the project will be devoted to a detailed analysis of the information necessary for the development of crop damage assessment products. This includes:
- Information related to specific meteorological events and possible crop damages.
- Historical information for risk characterization and segmentation at regional level.
For this purpose the project intends to use indices which are highly correlated to crop yields and referring to long-term (“historical”) datasets. Crop risk indices will describe crop growth, crop yield and/or more simply meteorological conditions in comparison with average or past historical data, reflecting a “reference” or “normal” situation. Such indices will be derived from remote sensing and agrometeorological models. Based on low or medium resolution satellite data these indices will be used to identify recurrent problem areas (delay in crop growth, low relative yields, low soil moisture) with higher risk and to estimate crop yield losses. To enhance the results for the field level these indices will be complemented by information obtained from high resolution optical and SAR imagery for two test sites. For these test sites the output will also be validated by comparison to information collected by the FPS Economy for past agricultural disaster events. At the end of the first phase, indices will be selected according to the needs identified by FPS Economy and an advisory committee in which public and private interests will be represented. Scenarios will be developed for the use of these indices.
In the second phase, the functionalities of the crop risk and damage information system will be defined and developed on the basis of experience of similar systems already operational in other countries. A user interface will be developed to obtain an information service. This service will be evaluated by the FPS and other members of the advisory committee.
Result
For the Federal Ministry of Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy
- A methodology to use information from remote sensing and agrometeorological modelling in support of the management of the Disaster Fund, to allow improved liability and compliance monitoring and better loss adjustment and claims management.
- A better understanding of the tools necessary to develop damage assessment systems.
- A pre-operational tool and an information system for crop damage and risk assessment.
- ew services reducing time of client requests for claims treatment.
- A homogenous and more reliable system to assess the damage caused to crops by the adverse weather conditions.
For the scientific partners
- New technical developments such as the combination of the crop risk indices, the combination of multi-sensor images with different spectral, spatial and temporal resolution.
- New methods that will provide relevant support to public authorities in the definition and the identification of calamity areas and possible reinsurance schemes.
