Remote sensing data has boosted agri productivity; official

The remote sensing data has helped boost agricultural productivity by seven per cent, thereby contributing Rs 50,000 crore annually to the country's GDP in terms of benefits, a senior official of the Ministry of Earth Sciences said today.
Remote sensing data forms an important input in forecasting agricultural crop production, Earth Sciences Secretary Shailesh Nayak told reporters here.
Nayak, also President of Indian Meteorological Society and Indian Society of Geomatics, said acurate classification of wastelands leads to their reclamation and eventual utilisation for productive purposes.
The use of remote sensing data has also helped fisheries to contribute Rs 34,000 crore anually to GDP in terms of benefits by saving 30 per cent of fuel, he said.

The advisories of Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) has helped in increasing catch per unit effort, Nayak, who was here for a symposium on 'Indian Remote Sensing Satellite Series.. A saga of 25 years', said.
PFZ forecast is sent to all major fishing harbours and fishing cooperatives free of cost by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information System (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences, through various electronic communication channels including media, Nayak said.
Also, the forest cover assessment and forest fire detection are useful in managing forest wealth and the associated biodiversity, Nayak said.