MEOSS wins SCO 2023!
It is now official, the EO4AgriWater project led by MEOSS has won the SCO France 2023 call for projects. The Space for Climate Observatory (a global initiative to fight climate change through space) aims to provide decision-making tools by evaluating and anticipating the impacts of climate change using satellite data, in-situ data, and local socio-economic data.
To carry out this new SCO 2023 project, MEOSS is partnering with an experienced consortium composed of the New Caledonian company INSIGHT, the Centre d’Études Spatiales de la Biosphère (CESBIO), the Chambres d’Agriculture of Gers, Alsace, and New Caledonia, and the Rural Agency. EO4AgriWater aims to provide indicators of pressure on water resources based on the inventory of irrigated surfaces, crop drought status, and water availability in reservoirs. The three experimental territories are located in the department of Gers, Alsace, and New Caledonia.
Gers: A privileged experimental territory
Due to its location and history, MEOSS has carried out various projects in the department of Gers, making it their privileged experimental territory. With the SCO EO4AgriWater project, Gers will be able to expand its toolbox derived from spatial data and specialize in the water theme.
Eventually, MEOSS will have deployed four tools to support water resource management in the department of Gers:
- MEO-WaterReserve: for quantitative monitoring of water bodies
- MEO-Irrigation: for monitoring irrigated and non-irrigated plots
- EO4DroughtMonitoring: for evaluating the intensity of drought episodes
More information about WaterManagement: www.meoss.net/watermanagement
The relevance of the implemented tools was demonstrated by the ease of use and clarity of the presented information. Users, mainly agricultural actors and water managers, appreciated the integrated visuals, which allowed them to see information about water in their department clearly and precisely. The new indicators that will be developed soon will follow the same line to ensure continuity in their services.
Innovation for territories
MEOSS aims to continuously innovate in tools and measures to improve water management and distribution worldwide, starting with the department of Gers. For this, satellite imagery will be used to measure and monitor drought in the department.
MEOSS will also support agricultural actors and water managers in their adaptation to climate change and improve the management and use of stored water. For this, thresholds and measures for restricting water use will be specified, and practices will be monitored.
The goal is to help territories in planning for the future and adopting new incentives to reduce water consumption. Among these incentives, the two main ones are the structuring of water prices, with the establishment of a progressive tariff based on volumes withdrawn and the implementation of extraction quotas.
In conclusion, MEOSS’s work in the department of Gers has resulted in valuable tools for water management and distribution in this territory, which, like more and more regions in France, is affected by drought. The start-up will continue to innovate and work with farmers, local authorities, and water actors to prepare for a more sustainable and responsible future and effectively adapt to climate change.
But that’s not all… MEOSS does not intend to stop there and is already preparing the development of other indicators that will allow linking resource availability and stress with the needs of the territory. This concerns irrigation but also food sovereignty, a sector that employs nearly half a million people. As a reminder, the agri-food sector accounts for 20% of the 70% of water withdrawals that relate to agriculture, highlighting the importance of supporting them in optimizing the management of their resources!