Forecasting of Cereal Yields in a Semi-arid Area Using the Simple Algorithm for Yield Estimation (SAFY) Agro-Meteorological Model Combined with Optical SPOT/HRV Images.

In semi-arid areas characterized by frequent drought events, there is often a strong need for an operational grain yield forecasting system, to help decision-makers with the planning of annual imports. However, monitoring the crop canopy and production capacity of plants, especially for cereals, can be challenging. In this paper, a new approach to yield estimation by combining data from the Simple Algorithm for Yield estimation (SAFY) agro-meteorological model with optical SPOT/ High Visible Resolution (HRV) satellite data is proposed.