Modern agriculture, including in South Africa, has reached such a level of technological sophistication that it is now vulnerable to the effects of space weather, South African National Space Agency (Sansa) Space Weather Centre MD Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell pointed out to Engineering News Online on Thursday. Space weather refers to events on, or originating from, the Sun, such as solar flares, high energetic particle streams, and coronal mass ejections, which interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and affect modern human technologies.

“Agriculture is vulnerable because of the development of ‘precision farming’,” she explained. “This is the use of technological aids in farming, such as the fitting of tractors and planters with navigation devices, allowing the planting of extra-straight rows, quickly and efficiently. These technological sensors are susceptible to adverse space weather, because they are dependent on satellite-based systems.”

The effects of space weather vary, depending on the phenomenon involved and its intensity. But space weather events can degrade satellite navigation system accuracy from about one metre to as much as 100 metres.

This is not the only issue of concern for the agricultural community. Farmers also have weather sensors on their land, to monitor terrestrial weather. These sensors have become so sensitive that they are susceptible to radiation from the Sun.

Further, drones are now being used as agricultural tools, being used to overfly fields and undertake quick surveys. But the navigation systems of these drones are also vulnerable to space weather effects.

“Really, it boils down to navigation and surveillance,” she summed up. “Space weather events are increasing, and we’re still in the process of creating awareness in the agricultural sector.”

However, many farmers are already making use of satellite imagery, supplied by Sansa Earth Observation, to support their work. So, they are already becoming both ‘space-minded’ and ‘Sansa-minded’. They are more aware, than other sectors, of what Sansa can do for them.

“We’ve also developed a relationship with the Agricultural Research Council,” she highlighted. “They’re going to help us create an awareness of space weather for farmers.”