Agri Varsity Satellite Mapping To Benefit Telangana Farmers

The data, processed from satellite imagery in collaboration with Switzerland-based SARMAP, covers 10,600 revenue villages and 70 lakh passbook holders across 32 districts, excluding Hyderabad. Each farm and survey number has been mapped, barring 870 villages without revenue records.

The absence of mapping in these villages led to an 8–12 per cent shortfall in cultivable area data last season. Revenue staff are currently engaged in completing the mapping, which will enable 100 per cent accuracy.

Announcing the milestone, university Vice-Chancellor Prof. Aldas Janaiah and centre director Dr Neelima said the initiative aims to empower farmers through AI, automation and digital tools. “This will ensure crop insurance for loss-affected farmers, transparent procurement, and delivery of government schemes to every eligible beneficiary,” Prof. Janaiah said.

The centre receives satellite data every 12 days, enabling 10 rounds of processing during the 120-day paddy season, with varying cycles for cotton and other crops. Officials are required to conduct ground truthing to physically verify non-crop areas within cultivable land. Janaiah noted that the system will help identify genuine crop-raisers for insurance claims, preventing misuse.

Established last year, the centre houses specialised units such as the Agri-Robotics and Intelligent Systems Applications Lab (Arisa) and the Remote Sensing and GIS Lab. It partners with the European Space Agency, whose satellites provide free data every 12 days for precise cultivation tracking.

Dr. Neelima added that the centre can extend services to other states, process vast satellite datasets using SARMAP algorithms, and conduct independent studies for paddy, cotton and other crops in upcoming Kharif and Rabi seasons. The state government must verify the processed data through ground truthing.