Observing a wheat field from space is no longer science fiction.
In recent years, satellites have transformed how farmers and policymakers track cereal systems.
Thanks to the EU’s Copernicus program, it is now possible to measure crop health, water use, potential yields, and even greenhouse gas emissions from wheat fields in real time.
Copernicus: Watching Every Field
Launched in 2014, Copernicus is Europe’s Earth observation system providing free, open-source data.
The Sentinel-2 (optical) and Sentinel-1 (radar) satellites are the most widely used in agriculture.
Their multispectral images — updated every five days — allow users to:
- calculate vegetation indices such as NDVI and NDWI;
- detect growth anomalies caused by drought or disease;
- monitor biomass and phenological stages of cereal crops.
These insights help farmers act precisely where and when needed, saving resources and reducing impacts.
From Pixels to Productivity
Each satellite image contains millions of pixels, each representing a few square meters of land.
Using AI and machine learning, these pixels are processed to estimate:
- plant health,
- leaf area index,
- soil moisture,
- and yield potential.
The JRC (2025) found that NDVI-based yield forecasts for soft wheat achieve over 85% accuracy in multi-temporal analyses — allowing predictive monitoring of large cereal regions like Northern Italy.
Practical Applications: Precision and Compliance
When combined with drones and soil sensors, satellite data power modern precision agriculture.
Farms can:
- generate variable-rate fertilizer and irrigation maps;
- optimize crop rotations;
- and verify environmental compliance for CAP eco-schemes.
In Italy’s PSN (2023–2027), Eco-scheme 4 provides financial incentives for farms using satellite-based monitoring to manage resources sustainably.
Tracking Climate Resilience
Satellites such as Sentinel-3 and data from Copernicus Climate Change Services (C3S) measure cereal responses to heat and drought.
A 2024 FAO–CREA study in Southern Italy showed how remote sensing identifies climate vulnerability zones, supporting adaptive management (e.g., drought-tolerant varieties, altered sowing dates).
Globally, the FAO GIEWS system uses these same data to forecast food shortages and price volatility.
Monitoring Sustainability Beyond the Field
Satellite data also help verify EU Green Deal and CAP commitments — such as fallow land, soil cover, and landscape features.
New metrics like the Wheat Footprint Index combine satellite imagery and agronomic data to assess carbon and water footprints.
The next decade will see automated sustainability certification for each wheat field — a revolution for transparency and trust in global food systems.
Sources:
- European Commission – Copernicus (2024). Earth Observation for Agriculture and Food Systems.
- JRC (2025). Satellite-Based Yield Forecasting for Cereal Crops.
- CREA (2024). Sentinel Data for Wheat Monitoring in Italy.
- FAO (2024). Remote Sensing for Climate-Resilient Agriculture.
- EEA (2024). Geospatial Tools for Sustainable Land Management.