Over the last two years, the agriculture ministry used data and images provided by European satellites to improve agriculture and forest management. (Viet Nam’s satellites will begin providing data for commercial and economic purposes in 2017.) Satellite images were used to develop a land-use map in 11 provinces in the Hong (Red) River Delta; maps also shed light onto the situation of forests across the country and led to the development of a forest fire warning system. Viet Nam’s agriculture ministry and Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation applied remote sensing technology to rice production in northern Nam Dinh Province and southern Soc Trang Province. Using satellite images to analyse rice production areas, researchers were able to forecast productivity with over 90 per cent accuracy. Read more in Saigon GP Daily
