OBSERVER: How the EU Space Programme supports agriculture
OBSERVER: How the EU Space Programme supports agriculture
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The global population has quadrupled in just a century, reaching eight billion in 2022. A growing population means rising demand for food, making sustainable agriculture more critical and necessary than ever. Yet, modern farming faces mounting challenges, including soil degradation linked to pesticide use and plastic pollution, as well as more frequent droughts and storms disrupting crop growth cycles. The EU Space Programme, through its wealth of Earth Observation and satellite navigation data, supports efforts to help agriculture adapt to these pressures. In this week’s Observer, we explore how space-based services and data contribute to more sustainable food production across Europe and beyond.
Supporting the Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), established in 1962, is a cornerstone of EU efforts to support farming. Over the decades, it has evolved to respond to shifting market dynamics, consumer demands, and growing climate challenges.
Copernicus supports the simplification of the implementation of the CAP through systematic, satellite-based monitoring of agricultural parcels rather than on-site inspections and cumbersome paperwork. Data from the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 missions support the EU’s Area Monitoring System by providing frequent, high-resolution observations throughout the growing season. Sentinel-1’s C-band radar operates independently of daylight and cloud cover, enabling regular monitoring of crop development, soil moisture, and tillage practices even under adverse weather conditions.
Sentinel-2 complements this capability with multispectral optical imagery, capturing information across visible, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared bands. These data allow the derivation of vegetation indices used to assess crop type, growth stage, and biomass, supporting both yield estimation and compliance checks under CAP conditionality rules. With revisit times of a few days and spatial resolution suitable for parcel-level analysis, the combined use of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 enables continuous, objective monitoring which supports administrative checks within the Integrated Administration Control System (IACS) and helps reduce the reliance on routine on-the-spot field inspections while improving the accuracy and transparency of subsidy administration.
By integrating Copernicus data, the EU and Member States can more effectively administer CAP-related agricultural subsidies. Sentinel imagery and aerial photographs help verify farmers’ compliance with CAP obligations, supporting efforts to ensure that subsidy payments are allocated fairly and efficiently.
In addition to Earth Observation data, satellite navigation services from the EU Space Programme provide technical capabilities which support activities related to the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy. EGNOS corrections are widely integrated into the navigation systems of agricultural machinery in Europe, improving positioning accuracy for field operations such as boundary mapping, parcel identification, and area measurement, thereby helping to reduce uncertainties in subsidy administration. Mobile applications and digital tools can also use EGNSS data and services in CAP-related contexts. EGNSS4CAP, an open-source mobile application funded by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), demonstrated the benefit of such tools which facilitates the collection of authenticated geotagged information for CAP reporting and checks using GNSS raw measurements and Galileo dual-frequency positioning.
Galileo also supports CAP implementation through its Authentication and High Accuracy Services, which are used in some national contexts by Paying Agencies. These services improve the reliability and integrity of positioning data used in precision farming and monitoring applications, helping authorities verify declared agricultural activities while enabling farmers to adopt technologies which align with CAP environmental objectives. Together with Copernicus-based crop and land monitoring, these GNSS capabilities support a more robust, data-driven approach to subsidy management, sustainability monitoring, and policy implementation.
Monitoring key metrics
Beyond the CAP, the EU Space Programme provides valuable climate and land monitoring tools for agricultural stakeholders. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) provides agro-climatic indicators which inform decision-makers about long-term climate trends. These indicators, such as dry spells and rainfall shifts, help stakeholders plan for climate-related agricultural challenges. Additionally, the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) provides geospatial data on land cover, vegetation health, and water resources. These metrics contribute to crop yield assessments and making informed decisions about agricultural practices.
One key CLMS product contributing to agricultural monitoring is the High-Resolution Vegetation Phenology and Productivity (HR-VPP) dataset. This product delivers information on vegetation dynamics, providing high spatial and temporal resolution data which enable agricultural sector stakeholders, public authorities, researchers, and service providers to assess plant growth cycles and detect stress factors. HR-VPP data also helps track seasonal variations in crop health and productivity, providing a valuable tool for managing agricultural sustainability in a changing climate.
Complementing HR-VPP is the High-Resolution Layer Croplands (HRL Croplands) dataset. Updated annually at 10-metre resolution across the EEA-38 region, HRL Croplands provides an unprecedented look at agricultural activity in Europe. It classifies croplands into 19 specific crop types (such as wheat, barley, or maize) and includes 12 cropping pattern products which capture seasonal dynamics such as sowing, harvest periods, bare soil presence, and fallow land. Developed in consultation with stakeholders under the Horizon 2020 ECoLaSS project, this user-driven dataset supports EU policy frameworks such as the CAP, Farm to Fork Strategy, and the EU Soil and Biodiversity strategies.
The MARS Crop Yield Forecasting System is another important contribution to the farming sector. Managed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), it integrates satellite-derived information, including Copernicus data, with ground-based observations and weather and climate data to produce crop yield forecasts and climate impact assessments. The JRC publishes monthly MARS Bulletins, which inform policymakers, agricultural organisations, and industry stakeholders about crop yield forecasts and weather conditions which could affect crop growth. These insights support strategic decision-making, including discussions on market conditions and agricultural policy design.
Managing water sustainably
Water is a fundamental resource for agriculture, yet its availability is under growing pressure from climate change. Over the past 40 years, multi-year droughts have become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more extreme, posing a severe threat to food security. Ensuring sustainable water management is therefore essential for maintaining agricultural productivity.
The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) provides information which supports efforts to address these challenges. Through its European and Global Drought Observatories, CEMS combines satellite data, hydro-meteorological models, and in situ observations to track soil moisture levels, precipitation patterns, and vegetation stress. These insights support better decision-making, allowing public authorities and agricultural stakeholders to anticipate and mitigate the impact of prolonged dry spells.
Precision farming
Satellite technology is also transforming in-the-field practices as an enabler of precision farming. This approach, also known as precision agriculture, uses satellite navigation, sensors, and aerial imaging to support key farming operations such as sowing, fertilisation, and irrigation.
Copernicus supports yield forecasts and assessments of agricultural land use and trends, as well as the analysis of farm management practices and irrigation patterns.
EGNOS improves the accuracy of GPS positioning by providing real-time corrections, allowing farmers to guide their machinery with more precision. This improved accuracy reduces over-application of fertilisers and herbicides, support more efficient fuel consumption, and contribute to extending the lifespan of agricultural equipment and preservation of the environment.
Galileo also plays a role in precision farming by increasing positioning reliability. With dozens of satellites in orbit, a robust signal design, and dual-frequency capability, it delivers high accuracy even in challenging environments such as valleys or near tree lines. Its integration into Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) networks strengthens the reliability of autonomous steering and guidance systems, improving efficiency and repeatability in field operations.
As the global population continues to grow towards an estimated 9 billion by 2037, placing increasing pressure on food production, and as climate change further fuels food insecurity, the EU Space Programme provides data and services which support more sustainable farming practices and help agricultural stakeholders to make informed, data-driven decisions.
The EU at International Green Week Berlin
From 16 to 25 January 2026, the European Commission will take part in the International Green Week (Grüne Woche 2026) Berlin, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, giving visitors a chance to explore how EU policies and technologies support a fair, competitive, and sustainable agricultural sector. At the EU stand, visitors will learn more about the CAP and the Vision for Agriculture and Food, see how EU Space data is used to monitor crops and manage resources more efficiently, and engage with European Commission representatives through informal discussions, interactive activities, and food tastings which highlight the diversity and quality of European food.
