Turkey will send a satellite to space next year to track agricultural fields and climate.
The project which was announced in late August by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, aims to start a new era for Turkish agriculture.
The microsatellite called "Lagari" will observe pilot areas that will be selected based on product groups and climate. Mini satellite Lagari is scheduled to be sent to space next year. The satellite is named after Lagari Hasan Celebi, who, according to legend, was on the first successful manned rocket flight.
The company STM, Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (Defense Technologies Engineering) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry signed a protocol to ensure the use of the satellite for public need.
A visual database will be created
The satellite produced by STM will collect and share images with the ministry, which will then be used for agricultural practices. The images gathered from the satellite will be processed based on specific needs and a visual database will be created.
These images will be used in the ministry's agricultural strategies and R&D projects that will involve yield estimation, early detection of pests by using radar technology, assessment of product damage, developing sensitive technologies for agriculture, early warning systems, monitoring crop development, determining plant species and agricultural land management.
