University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) researchers have received federal funding for a program that will use geospatial technologies to boost the productivity of rice and fruit cropping in Vietnam.
The program, a collaboration with the Vietnam National Space Centre, aims to develop technological solutions supporting sustainable agricultural practices in Vietnam.
The $487,718 over two years is being provided as part of a $1.45 million funding round from the Australian Government’s Aus4Innovation program, which is managed by the CSIRO.
The UniSQ researchers, Professor Armando Apan, Professor Tek Maraseni, Dr Thong Nguyen-Huy and Dr Bikram Banerjee, hope to improve crop monitoring and access to information for both smallholder farmers and government decision-makers in Vietnam.
“Effective crop monitoring is vital for informed decision-making among Vietnamese farmers and other relevant stakeholders, but a significant number of smallholder farmers do not have access to critical imagery indicating crop stress and yield,” said Professor Apan, who is leading the research.
“The primary objective of this initiative is to improve data accessibility and enhance the accuracy and detail of information available to small-scale farmers, which we’ll achieve through the creation of cloud-based internet mapping tools.
“With these resources at their disposal, Vietnamese farmers will be better equipped to make well-informed decisions aimed at boosting crop yield and increasing household income.”
According to Professor Apan, the primary goal is to create detailed maps for the crops at the individual farm level by using field data plus AI algorithms, along with drone- and spaceborne-sensing.
“Advancing technological solutions for local farmers in Vietnam by working with farmers, industry and research institutes will build enduring capacity and skills, to help reshape Vietnam’s agriculture practices,” said CSIRO Counsellor to Vietnam and Director of the Aus4Innovation Program Dr Kim Wimbush.
“Partnering universities with the innovation ecosystem in Vietnam means they can test products at scale and speed in a unique market in Vietnam and bring the successful implementation techniques back to the Australian agricultural sector.”
