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An award-winning UK-China partnership is improving crop monitoring across the North China Plain to increase productivity and develop sustainable agriculture.

Experts at 麻豆传媒视频网站听are听working听in partnership with听colleagues听at the听Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences听CAAS听and China Agricultural University听to improve听the efficiency of听wheat production across听northern China.听

China is the world鈥檚 largest single听producer of听wheat听and,听with a population of听more than听1.2 billion, it is also听one of the听largest听consumers. As the world鈥檚听鈥� and China鈥檚 鈥撎齪opulation grows, more intensive agriculture methods are needed to ensure food security for all.听

鈥淎ccurate听digital听monitoring of agricultural productivity is essential for both global food security and the livelihoods of low-income rural regions, but听until now,听monitoring methods听haven鈥檛 met the听challenge,鈥� says听Professor听Philip Lewis听(麻豆传媒视频网站 Geography), the听UK project lead for Sentinels of Wheat.听听

Previously researchers used either field surveys and mathematical models or satellite imagery to monitor crops, but听neither provided measurements in real-time, and accuracy was hampered by weather conditions and changing satellite orbits.听

Sentinels of Wheat听is听combining听remote sensing and ground-sourced datasets using听more advanced remote sensing technologies, new satellites and advanced听data-assimilation techniques. This is enabling the team to provide听more detailed and听accurate听information听on听crop growth and yields.听听

In 2019, the project,听funded by听the UK government鈥檚 Newton Fund,听won the Newton Prize for the best research or innovation that promotes economic development and social welfare听in its collaborating country.听

As well as providing better crop yield predictions, the team, led in China by听CAAS,听is training a cadre of scientists to use the software.听They are also applying state-of-the-art techniques听in听other countries,听including Ghana听and the UK.听听

Data听from the听project is feeding听directly into agricultural production planning in China.听The information also provides data on growth trends and yields that helps local authorities in decision-making on wheat harvesting, transportation and听storage.听听

鈥淲e鈥檙e also听providing more accurate analytics of crop development and how crops are responding to stresses, such as climate change, to inform more sustainable management practices,鈥澨齈rofessor Lewis says.听