Context

• Being able to predict crop yields accurately allows governments to plan the production, distribution, and consumption of food more effectively, combat food insecurity, and prepare for shortages and supply shocks well in advance.
• The Dr. P K Mishra Committee was constituted in September, 2013 to review the implementation of crop insurance schemes in India.
  
• The Committee submitted its report in May, 2014 recommending the use of satellite remote sensing data for various applications related to yield and crop health estimation for crop insurance..

Several activities using satellite

• Use of satellite remote sensing derived yield values for smart sampling and optimization of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) being conducted under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• Use of satellite remote sensing to assess the discrepancy between the actual sown area and the insurance area and compute the Areas Correction Factor (ACF).
• Use of satellite imagery for resolving disputes between the State Governments and Insurance Companies related to crop yield estimates.
• Yield data quality checking using remote sensing.
• Qualitative crop loss and health assessment using satellite remote sensing.
• Use of satellite remote sensing for assessing the areas of preventive sowing or failure of crop emergence.
• Use of long-term satellite remote data for risk assessment which have been used for clustering of districts.

Source: PIB