The Department of Agriculture is working closely with the Philippine Space Agency to expand the use of space technology and satellite data across the country’s farming and fisheries sectors, aiming to boost productivity, build better resilience to climate change, and deliver faster support to producers. During a strategy meeting this week, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. explained that the goal is to combine precise satellite insights with on-the-ground checks to modernize how the sector operates overall.
A key priority for the partnership is improved flood mapping, which will help identify where floodwaters naturally gather or flow during heavy rains. Instead of letting this water run off into rivers and the sea, authorities plan to capture and store it for irrigation, similar to systems already used in Vietnam. According to the Secretary, making the most of every available water supply will help raise output and cut the country’s reliance on imported food, turning a common weather challenge into a useful resource.
The Philippine Space Agency already runs the DigitalAgri Project, which currently tracks farm-to-market road conditions as well as corn and onion production levels. The Department of Agriculture wants to broaden this coverage to include crops like carrots and cabbages, so officials can spot potential oversupply early and help keep farmgate prices stable. The two agencies will also explore using satellite tools to monitor pest outbreaks, crop diseases, droughts, soil moisture, greenhouse gas levels, and water quality in Laguna de Bay, where satellite imagery may help trace pollution linked to repeated fish kill incidents.
For small-scale fishers, the collaboration could produce detailed maps showing productive fishing zones, wind patterns, and ocean currents, all available free of charge. Satellite data will also overhaul agricultural insurance by providing clear, consistent measurements of flood damage, drought impact, and crop health. This will make damage assessments fairer and faster, letting affected farmers and fishers receive payouts much sooner. To ensure all satellite findings match real conditions on the ground, around 1,000 department staff will be deployed across the country by the end of the year to carry out field validation work.
