A new aviation and space monitoring laboratory for agricultural lands is planned to be established at Stavropol State Agrarian University. This initiative was reported by TASS, citing the university’s press service.
The project will leverage remote sensing to map out strategic steps for boosting pasture productivity, restoring eroded zones, and expanding the humus layer in soil. Preliminary assessments suggest that applying aerial monitoring technologies could raise pasture productivity by 25 percent to 35 percent, with a potential nationwide economic impact reaching up to 10 billion rubles.
SSAU researchers have already devised and field-tested a space-based pasture monitoring technique on several farms in the Stavropol region and in the Alma-Ata region of Kazakhstan. This approach demonstrates how space data can inform land management decisions, optimize grazing patterns, and support sustainable agricultural practices across large territories.
Vladimir Sitnikov, the university rector, emphasized that the space-based pasture monitoring method marks another milestone in strengthening food security for the Stavropol Territory and for Russia as a whole. He noted that the technology, developed by SSCU scientists, can be adapted for use in all regions of the Russian Federation without exception, given proper data access and regional calibration.
There is also a broader context to these developments. Earlier this year, it was announced that Russia’s top research institution complex would focus on agricultural applications, aligning with national priorities to modernize farming through science and technology. In related regional news, Georgian vineyards and farmland have recently faced damage from early hail and strong winds, underscoring the vulnerability of agricultural assets to extreme weather and the importance of resilient monitoring systems that can inform rapid response and recovery measures.