User requirements for a satellite-based advisory platform

Abstract

APOLLO, a newly funded H2020 EU project will develop an agricultural advisory platform for small farmers based on Copernicus Sentinel satellites. It will provide services for tillage scheduling, irrigation scheduling, crop growth monitoring and yield estimation. The aim of this study was to identify the farmers’ requirements of the APOLLO platform. In total 121 farmers were interviewed in Spain, Serbia and Greece. More than 90% of the farmers pointed out that smart agriculture and use of satellite data in agriculture are important. Additionally, more than 80% want to have access to historical data and a flexible subscription policy to the platform according to their needs and use. However, significant differences exist among farmers of these countries in terms of technology awareness and penetration, which should be taken into consideration for developing a successful platform.