Space technology estimates flood damage to agriculture precisely: minister

May 27, 2019 - 14:42

TEHRAN – A precise assessment on damage caused by recent flood on agricultural products has been done by space technology and the result has been submitted to the Ministry of Interior, the information and communication technology (ICT) minister wrote on his Instagram account.

Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said that there are billions of rials difference between traditional estimation and the scientific figures released by the Iranian Space Agency.

Since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year on March 21 provinces of Fars, Lorestan, North Khorasan, Golestan, Mazandaran, Hamedan, Khuzestan, Kermanshah, Semnan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and Khorasan Razavi were hit hard by devastating floods incurring a dramatic loss.

In April, the Iranian Space Research Center announced that it was performing a plan for estimating the damage caused by the recent flood to the agriculture sector in Golestan province through using remote sensing technology.

On his Instagram account, the minister announced that Iran has completed the production of three satellites of Zafar, Pars 1 and Nahid 1, which is a great step toward space technology development by the Iranian experts.

Iran University of Science and Technology announced that it has manufactured Zafar satellite and will deliver it to the Iranian Space Agency for running final tests during the month of Shahrivar (August 22-September 22).

The 90 kg satellite is equipped with four color cameras with 80 meter resolution and the equipment have average lifespan of 18 months.

In February, Azari Jahromi said that Pars 1 satellite will be sent into orbit in the current Iranian calendar year (starting on March 21) and the Nahid 1 satellite will be sent into orbit in the month of Khordad (May 22-June 22).

In a speech in January 2019, Azari Jahromi announced that the satellites improve the standard of living, food and water resources security, which are the most important aims for the government.

Azari Jahromi said that Iran will not hold off development in the field of space technology and cannot wait for other countries to meet its needs.

SB/MQ/MG