In celebration of the 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Hungary, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the Embassy of Hungary in Manila hosted the “Application of Remote Sensing Technologies in Precision Agriculture” lecture.
Conducted in hybrid mode on 16 November 2023 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 NN, participants with an interest in remote sensing, geoinformatics, precision agriculture, and digital farming were invited from the government sector, academe, and private sector engaged in the field of agriculture.
PhilSA Director General Marciano delivered his welcome remarks
PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr., Ph.D. emphasized the significance of this event in highlighting the relationship between the Philippines and Hungary. Simultaneously, this underscores the pivotal role of space infrastructure and their applications to produce space derived products and services for agriculture, among others, elevates the value of space data in the country.
The inaugural seminar stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts between the two nations, with Hungary aspiring to share valuable insights on leveraging satellite data for agricultural purposes.
Ambassador Tóth delivered the opening remarks for the Embassy of Hungary in Manila
H.E. Dr. Titanilla Tóth, Ambassador of Hungary to the Philippines, articulated during her opening remarks that the goal of utilizing satellite data for agriculture is to enhance crop monitoring, assess soil health, and implement precision farming practices by seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology with traditional agricultural wisdom.
Dr. Milics presented the best practices of Hungary on remote sensing for precision agriculture
Hungarian expert Professor Gabor Milics, Ph.D., a Geographic Information System and remote sensing expert, provided a comprehensive lecture on the use of satellite data and remote sensing in precision or site-specific agriculture.
The presentation provided a background on precision agriculture, application of remote sensing in Hungary, remotely sensed images from satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones, sources remote sensing images, and practical applications in precision agriculture.
Best practices employed in Hungary and practical tips for possible utilization in the Philippines were also provided and explored during the open forum.
PhilSA Deputy Director General Gay Jane P. Perez delivered her closing remarks
Deputy Director General Gay Jane P. Perez, during her closing remarks, reiterated the transformative role of space technology and satellite data transformed into actional information for agriculture by providing basis for the creation of management zones and timely information.
Attendees from various offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) joined the discussion at the PhilSA Office in Quezon City, among other government agencies and academic institutions who participated online.
PhilSA DG Marciano presented a photo of Szolnok, Hungary captured by Diwata-2’s High Precision Telescope on 06 June 2021 to H.E. Dr. Titanilla Tóth, Ambassador of Hungary to the Philippines
Ambassador Titanilla Tóth paid a courtesy call to PhilSA Director General, Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano before the hybrid lecture where PhilSA presented a satellite image of Szolnok, Hungary taken by Diwata-2’s High Precision Telescope (HPT).
During the courtesy call, both parties touch based on possible collaboration and programs that may be implemented in the future. PhilSA also presented the upstream and downstream capabilities focused on agriculture initiatives of the Philippines.
Access the webinar recording here.
Exploratory meetings for potential partnerships
Dr. Milics and the delegation from Hungary held Exploratory meetings with the Department of Agriculture, UP Diliman College of Science and UP Diliman College of Engineering to identify potential areas of interest between the Philippines and Hungary.
Meeting with Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa
Meeting with University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman College of Science
Meeting of UP Diliman College of Engineering
Tour at the UP Diliman University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems (ULyS3ES)