The Department of Agriculture (DA) is accelerating its push toward precision agriculture by integrating satellite technology into farming and fisheries, a move aimed at improving food production, managing water resources, and speeding up disaster response.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the agency is working with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) to use satellite-generated data in planning irrigation systems, monitoring crops and fisheries, and strengthening the country's climate resilience.

A key priority is using satellite imagery to identify flood-prone areas where excess rainwater can be stored for irrigation instead of flowing into rivers and the sea.

"Every drop of water we save is another opportunity to increase production and reduce our dependence on imported food," Tiu Laurel said. "If we understand where floodwaters naturally go, we can turn a recurring problem into a valuable resource for irrigation."

He said the government is studying water management systems similar to those used in Vietnam, where canals capture and redirect rainwater to farms during the dry season.

Beyond irrigation, the DA plans to broaden satellite monitoring to cover more agricultural commodities. While PhilSA's DigitalAgri Project already tracks farm-to-market roads and selected crops such as corn and onions, Tiu Laurel said monitoring should also include vegetables like carrots and cabbages to help prevent oversupply and stabilize farmgate prices.

The agencies are also exploring space-based monitoring for crop pests, plant diseases, drought, flooding, soil moisture, greenhouse gas emissions, and water quality in Laguna de Bay, where satellite imagery could help identify pollution linked to recurring fish kills.

For the fisheries sector, the partnership seeks to develop satellite-assisted mapping of productive fishing grounds, allowing municipal fishers to access information on fishing locations, wind conditions, and ocean currents.

The technology is likewise expected to improve agricultural insurance by supporting parametric crop insurance, which uses satellite-derived indicators on floods, drought, and crop health to accelerate damage assessment and insurance payouts.

To complement satellite intelligence, Tiu Laurel said the DA will deploy around 1,000 field personnel nationwide by the end of the year to validate information gathered from space and ensure it translates into practical interventions for farmers and fishers.

The initiative forms part of the DA's broader modernization strategy under the Marcos administration, combining advanced technology with on-the-ground implementation to improve agricultural productivity, disaster preparedness, and long-term food security.