Climate change and environmental degradation pose a global threat. With a rising global population and 40% of the Earth’s land already degraded, sustainable food production is a growing challenge. The European Green Deal aims to tackle this through a carbon-neutral, circular economy with sustainable agricultural systems. However, global impact requires global action—particularly in tropical regions, where agricultural productivity is low and excessive use of inputs (fertilizer, pesticides, water) strains ecosystems.
Smart farming using Earth Observation (EO) data can reduce resource use by ~20%, but adoption remains limited in cloud-prone areas due to overreliance on optical sensors. Tools that integrate SAR (e.g. Sentinel-1), optical (Sentinel-2), and infrared signals are needed to unlock Copernicus’ full potential. DINOSAR addresses this need.
DINOSAR’s main objective is to develop a physically based, operational diagnostic tool that combines multi-sensor Copernicus data to monitor crop phenology and health under all weather conditions. This will support sustainable agriculture, optimize input use, and improve environmental outcomes.
The project’s initial focus is sugarcane, the world’s largest food commodity by volume, cultivated in over 20 million ha, mostly in cloudy tropical areas. Despite environmental concerns, sugarcane is vital for global markets (sugar, ethanol, bioenergy). The industry is open to innovation. Recent ISSCT congress sessions emphasized fertilizer optimization. Preliminary DINOSAR work in Colombia reduced nitrogen use from 165 to 139 kg/ha, proving the potential for sustainable gains.
Continuous crop monitoring enabled by integrating SAR, optical, and infrared data is essential for mainstreaming sustainable practices.
