Research project T4/DD/43 (Research action T4)
Objectives :
To deliver a series of prototypes for a new generation of low-cost PC-based Farm Management Information Systems, which can combine very high resolution optical satellite image products with vector cartographic data.
To develop techniques for producing advanced fertiliser and fungicide recommendation maps. To deliver image data and derived products to project customers for on-farm evaluation in the prototype Farm Management Information Systems. The data delivery mechanism will be a prototype subscription/distribution service interfaced with and accessed through the CEO Enabling Services.
Methods :
SABRES will take well established methods of satellite remote sensing, apply them to data from new Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite sensors and integrate specially designed image products into innovative, prototype farm management information systems (FMIS). In addition, an advanced component of the project will deliver higher level products to the FMIS (e.g. fertiliser recommendation map) by application of existing techniques to a time series of satellite images (obtained whilst the crop is growing) and in combination with meteorological and soil data.
Customer feedback is considered very important in the SABRES project.
The different prototypes of the on-farm software that will be developed are suited to the differing business needs of five customers in four European countries. The customers represent a wide range of businesses within the agri-business sector: a community service to farmers, a large group of independent advisors, a progressive farmer and two farming co-operatives which provide a range of services (including fertiliser) to their members in two of the most important arable areas in Europe.
The customers will evaluate the products and software over a cycle of two growing seasons on farms to which they have excellent access. As timeliness of information is extremely important for current year (tactical) treatments, an image distribution mechanism developed in the second iteration of the prototypes will exploit the CEO enabling services, especially the subscription mechanism within the CEO Advertising and Announcement service. This mechanism will be further developed to provide a capability for subscribers to receive image updates automatically.
