Can Organic Farming development be driven by Remote Sensing technology?

Organic Farming (OF) is a form of production that uses a diverse set of methods and techniques focused on product quality, conservation of natural resources and biodiversity, and then seeking to ensure the sustainability of ecosystems and the health of farmers and consumers. The role of OF in rural development has been characterized by a great dynamic in the diversity of goods produced, good adaptation to the condition of smallholdings, family agriculture and local production. It has ensured a good compromise between the achievement of food security and nature conservation goals. The modernization of agriculture is increasingly dependent on the application of Precision Agriculture (PA) technologies, and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques become an essential tool for their effective application. PA technologies can deal with some crop production issues linked to OF, related to water and soil management, plant protection, and mechanization. These problems have limited the expansion of OF, due to the greater demands in technical knowledge and the accessibility to specific equipment, and farmers reticence for investments. This work addresses this critical issue for OF, analyzing the potential of RS-based PA techniques to face these problems. Different technologies are explored, based on the information provided by multispectral and thermal sensors on board satellite platforms and drones, as well as handheld devices. Data provided with the required frequency and spatial resolution allows a continuous monitoring of the crop growing and can be very helpful in several processes of OF vegetal production. Here are some examples, to assess: i) plant water stress to determine irrigation timing; ii) crop development vigor, to plan fertilization, irrigation needs, cultivation operations, or harvesting; iii) signs of biotic and abiotic diseases, to assess pesticide treatments or micronutrient application and iv) weeds, to determine quantity and typology and stablish timing and control processes. Successful examples reported in the bibliography and a specific study case focused on the Lis Valley, Portugal will be presented. This study will contribute to a better understanding on how the OF development could be driven by RS technology.