Remote sensing to transform digital agriculture

In the era where digital data and artificial intelligence reshape every aspect of life, remote sensing is no longer a technology of the future but has become a strategic tool for resource management, environmental monitoring and the advancement of modern agriculture.

From environmental monitoring to modern agricultural development

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Minh Hai, Deputy Director General of the National Remote Sensing Department, the national remote sensing database is currently a “vast spatial information warehouse,” containing nearly 100,000 satellite images collected from 16 different receiving stations, covering the entire territory, seas, and islands of Viet Nam. The data is high-resolution, continuously updated, and serves multiple sectors, from climate change monitoring, forest, land and water resources management to agricultural development, urban planning and national defense.

In recent years, remote sensing has demonstrated irreplaceable value. For example, during Typhoon Yagi in 2024, the National Remote Sensing Department provided timely satellite imagery to the Sentinel Asia network, supporting search and rescue efforts and post-disaster assessment. In the Mekong Delta, satellite altimetry and radar imagery help predict subsidence and saltwater intrusion, assisting water regulation and agricultural planning under climate change. At the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos, remote sensing data supports detailed topographic mapping and management of the exclusive economic zone, contributing to national sovereignty protection.

Particularly in agriculture, remote sensing is driving a fundamental transformation. Satellite observation systems enable monitoring of cultivation zones, forecasting yields of key crops, tracking disease outbreaks, analyzing soil and water quality, and calculating greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with IPCC standards. This data not only boosts productivity and production efficiency but also forms the foundation for low-carbon agriculture, contributing to Viet Nam’s net-zero commitment by 2050.

"Bottlenecks" that need to be addressed

Alongside opportunities, the remote sensing sector faces multiple challenges. First is the shortage of high-quality human resources, experts skilled in image processing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence and GIS. Many university programs remain theory-heavy and have yet to meet practical demands.

In terms of technical infrastructure, the national remote sensing database has not been upgraded to meet Level-3 information security standards, posing risks of data breaches. Data extraction and usage remain scattered across ministries and sectors, lacking interoperability, leading to waste and hindering the development of an open data ecosystem.

In addition, investment costs for satellites, receiving stations, processing and storage systems remain high, while socialized capital and incentive policies for enterprise involvement are still limited. These bottlenecks require institutional reforms, strengthened public-private partnerships and international technology transfer.

Realizing the vision of a digital nation and green, sustainable development

According to Resolution No.57-NQ/TW of the Politburo, investment in science, technology, and innovation is an investment in development. For the remote sensing sector, this is a golden opportunity to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), big data (Big Data), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and blockchain technology for rapid monitoring, early warning and automation in resource, environmental and agricultural management.

To advance this direction, the National Remote Sensing Department has submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment the proposal “Strengthening the application of remote sensing and artificial intelligence in developing intelligent monitoring systems for key agricultural and environmental sectors to support green growth and sustainable development”, expected to be implemented from 2026. This is considered a strategic step to make space technology a key pillar supporting management, forecasting, and decision-making amid national digital transformation.

The project focuses on five breakthrough priorities: establishing a nationwide interconnected big database on natural resources and the environment; applying AI and IoT in forest monitoring, crop zones, aquaculture, air and water quality; developing a 3D national digital map integrating remote sensing and GIS; supporting rapid decision-making in disaster management and agricultural planning; and building cloud computing infrastructure ensuring national data security.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Minh Hai, this is not merely a science-technology project but a major institutional breakthrough that integrates remote sensing with socio-economic sectors, forming a national spatial data ecosystem for unified management and sustainable development.

From practical implementation, the need for a comprehensive legal framework has become increasingly urgent, especially regarding data management, exploitation, and commercialization. Therefore, developing the Remote Sensing Law is considered essential, providing a robust legal foundation for the growth of the spatial data economy. The law will specify regulations on data collection, sharing, confidentiality, and usage, while promoting the domestic remote sensing service market, a promising digital economic sector, and encouraging the development of satellite technology and “Make in Vietnam” space applications.

“When enacted, the Remote Sensing Law will pave the way for the spatial data economy, a core pillar of the digital nation and green economy, enabling Viet Nam to be more proactive in resource governance, environmental protection and smart agricultural development”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Minh Hai emphasized.

In the context of intensifying global competition in space technologies, with the small-satellite industry growing at an average of 16% per year, Viet Nam needs to maximize its young human resources, innovation-friendly policies and the State’s strategic investment.

With clear strategic vision, Viet Nam is fully capable of mastering space technology, turning remote sensing into a new engine of growth for the knowledge economy, contributing to the realization of national digital aspirations and green, sustainable development by 2050.