The digital twin developed by Thales Alenia Space will simulate the state of crops in the face of climate. Photo: Shutterstock

The digital twin developed by Thales Alenia Space will simulate the state of crops in the face of climate. Photo: Shutterstock

Thales Alenia Space will lead the SaveCrops4EU project for the European Space Agency, which aims to create a digital twin of European agriculture in order to anticipate the effects of climate change and optimise crop management. Funded by the EU and the member states, the project involves several scientific partners, including the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology.

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), will lead the SaveCrops4EU project, as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Digital Twin Earth programme. The contract signed with the ESA aims to develop a pre-operational digital twin of agriculture in Europe.

The ambition? To create a virtual replica of European agricultural systems capable of simulating the state of crops as a function of climatic conditions, soil characteristics and farming practices. Ultimately, the tool should make crops more resilient to weather hazards, while improving resource management, in line with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European Green Deal.

Powered by satellite data, scientific models and algorithms, the digital twin will enable:

- monitoring crops in real time;

- predicting crop yields;

- simulating different scenarios (drought, irrigation, fertilisation....).

The aim is to provide a decision-making tool for farmers, researchers and public officials, to better anticipate the effects of climate change and promote more sustainable and efficient agriculture. “SaveCrops4EU will build on existing Destination Earth platform solutions and will aim for maximum interoperability with other digital twins,” notes the press release.

Four concrete use cases to validate the technology

The project is funded by the European Commission and ESA member states. Thales Alenia Space, which is responsible for the architecture and overall integration of the solution, has formed a European consortium bringing together complementary expertise, including:

- the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (List), scientific leader of the project;

- the University of Valencia, remote sensing specialists;

- the Forschungszentrum Jülich, experts in bio and geoscientific modelling;

- the Centre wallon de recherches agronomiques;

- CropOM, agricultural experts.

Four field trials will be conducted in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Spain to test the reliability of the digital twin and its ability to provide useful information for agricultural decision-making. Deployment of a pre-operational version is planned by the end of 2026.

“For several years, Thales Alenia Space has been at the forefront of innovation in digital solutions for Earth observation to support decision-making and responsible climate policies. We are proud that the ESA is renewing its trust with SaveCrops4EU, capitalising on our experience gained in the development of the ,” concludes the general manager of Thales Alenia Space in Luxembourg, Étienne Barritault.

This article was originally published in .

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