On 25 January 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA), alongside the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) organised an event to bring together the space and agri-food sectors with the aim of tackling joint challenges and to draw up a shared roadmap. Without action, these challenges can only get worse.

During the event, speakers, panellists, and participants had the opportunity to shape their shared vision for the future of sustainable agriculture using space-enabled technologies. As Nick Appleyard, Head of the Downstream Business Applications Department at ESA highlighted at the event, ESA Space Solutions is not a newcomer to the agriculture sector. The first project referenced in its portfolio was a German-led activity with Vista GmbH called Talking Fields, starting in 2009 with a feasibility study and later a demonstration project aimed at providing farmers with affordable and low time-consuming, end-to-end precision farming services to increase production efficiency. This activity helped ESA build its knowledge of the agriculture sector through providing its expertise in space. Several other success stories were highlighted by companies including Spacenus, Telespazio Vega Deutschland and academic institutions including GFZ-Potsdam.

More information: Shaping the future of agriculture through space | ESA Business Applications

The recording of the day can be watched here.