SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING AND GIS APPLICATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL METEO- ROLOGY AND WMO SATELLITE ACTIVITIES

Abstract: Agricultural planning and use of agricultural technologies need applications of agricultural meteorology. Satellite remote sensing technology is increasingly gaining recognition as an important source of agrometeorological data as it can complement well the traditional methods agrometeorological data collection. Agrometeorologists all over the world are now able to take advantage of a wealth of observational data, product and services flowing from specially equipped and highly sophisticated environmental observation satellites. In addition, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is becoming an essential tool for combining various map and satellite information sources in models that simulate the interactions of complex natural systems. The Commission for Agricultural Meteorology of WMO has been active in the area of remote sensing and GIS applications in agrometeorology. The paper provides a brief overview of the satellite remote sensing and GIS Applications in agricultural meteorology along with a description of the WMO Satellite Activities Programme. The promotion of new specialised software should make the applications of the various devices easier, bearing in mind the possible combination of several types of inputs such as data coming from standard networks, radar and satellites, meteorological and climatological models, digital cartography and crop models based on the scientific acquisition of the last twenty years