Improving Crop Yield and Suitability Mapping by Integrating Crop Growth Models and Remote Sensing
Crop growth and suitability models are key tools for monitoring, planning, and devising policy strategies for sustainable agrifood systems. Crop simulation tools like APSIM, DSSAT, and AquaCrop are at the forefront of agricultural technology, providing detailed crop growth dynamics at the parcel level under varied environmental, genetic, and management scenarios. Integrating crop models with Earth Observation (EO) techniques to spatialize results in data-limited conditions remains a key step for operational large scale and near-real-time crop monitoring, but significant technical challenges still apply. Enhanced results from this integration can significantly contribute to global platforms like Global Agro-Ecological Zones (GAEZ) by providing more accurate yield estimations and crop suitability maps.
We invite you to join us for a comprehensive exploration of how the integration of crop models and Earth Observation data can enhance crop yield estimation and crop suitability mapping under varying levels of data availability. During this event, we will delve into the functionalities of crop modeling tools such as APSIM, DSSAT, and AquaCrop, discuss the role of remote sensing data in yield estimation, and examine the GAEZ platform for the crop suitability mapping. Our discussions will cover the technical approaches, challenges, and opportunities in this field.
The event will take place at the FAO headquarters (Ethiopia Room) in Rome, Italy, and will also be accessible online.
Register here to join the event online!
Agenda:
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Day 1- 1st July |
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Time |
Session 1. Leveraging crop models and remote sensing for crop suitability and yield estimation |
Intervenants |
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09:00-9:10 |
Welcome remarks, integrating crop growth models and remote sensing |
Jippe Hoogeveen, Senior Land and Water Officer, NSL, FAO |
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9:10-9:20 |
Setting the scene |
Livia Peiser, Head of Geospatial Unit, NSL, FAO/ Yusuf Yigini, Land and Water Officer, NSL, FAO |
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9:20-9:40 |
Challenges and contexts of applications |
Matieu Henry, Technical Officer, Geospatial Unit, NSL, FAO |
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9:40-10:10 |
Overview on approaches, input data requirements and sensitivity to estimating yield using crop models and remote sensing |
Andries Potgieter, Associate Professor, University of Queensland |
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10:10-10:40 |
Crop growth modeling with AquaCrop: capabilities, data requirements, and remote sensing integration |
Margarita Garcia-Vila Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS), CSIC, Cordoba, Spain |
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10:40-11:10 |
Coffee Break |
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11:10-11:40 |
Crop modelling and crop suitability tools for the master plan of sustainable agriculture development of Abu Dhabi |
Rami Mohammed Alqerem, Lead Analyst-Special Studies Office, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA)/ Sedrakyan, Armen, Subregional Office for GCC States and Yemen (FAOSNG) |
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11:40-12:20 |
Roundtable discussion |
Haekoo Kim, and Arshiya Noorani, Plant Production (NSP) Moderation |
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12:20-13:30 |
Lunch Break |
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13:30-14:00 |
AEZ based crop suitability and yield estimation: a country case study from Tunisia |
Federica Chiozza, AEZ expert, NSL, FAO |
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14:00-14:45 |
GAEZ Based Crop Suitability Mapping: integration of crop models within GAEZ platform with examples from project countries UAE & SOILFER |
FISCHER Günther, Distinguished Emeritus Research Scholar Water Security Research Group, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) |
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14:45 – 15:00 |
Q&A |
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15:00-15:30 |
Minimum data requirements and models comparison for APSIM/DSSAT/AquaCrop simulations and integrating remote sensing for enhanced agricultural modeling |
Davoud Ashourloo, Researcher, University of Queensland |
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15:30-16:00 |
Coffee Break |
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16:00-16:30 |
Discussion |
All |
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16:00 |
Closure |
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Day 2- 2nd July |
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Time |
Session 2: Project Specific Discussion |
Intervenants |
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09:00-10:30 |
Roundtable Discussion: reviewing country-scale data, optimal crop model platforms for each crop category, and the role of EO data and crop models in enhancing yield estimation and crop suitability. |
FISCHER Günther, Andries Potgieter, Scott Chapman, Jason Brider (on site) |
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10:30-11:00 |
Coffee Break |
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Time |
Session 3: Simulating crop growth with APSIM and remote sensing |
Intervenants |
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11:00-11:30 |
Overview of APSIM history and applications |
Scott Chapman, Professor in Crop Physiology, School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland |
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11:30-11:50 |
Wheat cutting survey in Afghanistan, 2024: A preliminary statistical and geospatial analysis of the results |
Dario Spiller, Geospatial Expert, Geospatial Unit, NSL, FAO/CorreaMoreno, Juan, Economist, ESP, FAO |
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11:50-12:20 |
Case study results: APSIM and RS in wheat cultivation in Afghanistan |
Andries Potgieter and Davoud Ashourloo, University of Queensland |
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12:20-12:40 |
Q&A |
All |
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12:40-13:30 |
Lunch Break |
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Time |
Session 4: APSIM Interface demonstration |
Intervenants |
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13:30-14:00 |
The use of APSIM to simulate crop physiology and growth and applications of APSIM linked to proximal and remote sensing |
Scott Chapman, Professor in Crop Physiology, School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland |
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14:00-15:00 |
Overview of the APISM interface relating to crop management, soil data and climate data for wheat crop in Afghanistan and Australia |
Jason Brider, honorary researcher, University of Queensland |
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15:00-15:30 |
Coffee Break |
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15:30-16:00 |
Discussion |
All |
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16 :00 |
Closure |
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Day 3- 3rd July |
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Time |
Session 5: EO based yield estimation and Sensitivity Analysis using APSIM |
Intervenants |
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09:00-10:30 |
EO based yield estimates, insights from FAO projects: GIEWS and WaPOR |
Jonathan Pound, economist, EST, FAO and Michele Meroni, Joint Research Centre of European Commission, IES, MARS Almutaz Mohammed, water productivity expert, NSL, FAO |
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10:30-11:00 |
Coffee Break |
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11:00-12:00 |
Sensitivity analysis for dry land wheat cropping using APSIM |
Jason Brider, honorary researcher, University of Queensland |
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12:00-12:30 |
Q&A |
All |
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12:30-13:30 |
Lunch Break |
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13:30-14:30 |
APSIM for eggplant cultivation in the UAE environment: Modeling Eggplant yield in APSIM/ Investigate eggplant yield sensitivity to input parameters |
Shahla Asgharinia, Crop and Soil Spatial Modelling Specialist, NSL, FAO/ Jason Brider, Honorary researcher, University of Queensland |
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14:30-15:00 |
Learning Takeaways: Key Insights to Take Home |
ALL facilitated by Yusuf Yigini, NSL, FAO |
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Closing remarks |
Livia Peiser, NSL, FAO |
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15 :00 |
Closure |
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Note: Online participants may interact during the workshop using the Q&A section. Based on the timetable, some questions will be addressed during the discussion session, while others can be communicated later with the corresponding speaker. Please note that the on-site session is excluded from online participants' access.