Conference Proceedings: Map India 1999

The application possibilities of space systems support to decision making is well known Some advances have been made. In major areas of concern progress however, still lies ahead. This is particularly so in the field of development. where in both short run and medium term applications, demonstrated possibilities exist We indicate these possibilities in the field of agro-climatic planning for land and water development and crop planning and also short run crop forecasting very important for market and policy analysis in a liberalising economy. It is our belief that the National Space Policy drafted by ISPA, if implemented would provide the instruments for quicker applications of these systems already developed, for which both hardware and software packages are largely in position.

Agro-climatic planning
Given the physical and biogenetic diversity of the Indian subcontinent, it makes it economically and resource augmenting, to follow a strategy of diversified and regionally differentiated agriculture. For example, in an agro-ecological zoning of the FAO, India is one of the few developing countries studied which has crop production potential in almost all land class types- dry semi- and moist semi and sub humid, humid, fluvisols and gleysols. Within India are seen the agro-ecological zones of the Developing World. Also the shares of moist, humid and fluvisol/ gleysol agro-ecological sequences in India, approximately in those in the Developing World and it is perhaps one of the few countries with some others like Brazil, China and Indonesia which is "World within the World". This is indeed a great policy challenge and opportunity. Particularly so in an emerging environment which regards bio-diversity as nature's bounty and not as earlier, a constraint to technological progress.

Since Crop and Season Reports at the District load are normally three years out of date, satellite imagery was used to generate land use data by a 9 fold classification, for the agro-climatic project in 1989, but could not be used for operational planning purpose, on account of various reasons largely at bureaucratic inertia in the period 1990/991. Separately data has been generated for watershed development and other land and water development projects, which has been a part of the planning and implementation process.

The Ninth Plan has again reiterated that agricultural planning should be in the agro-climatic mde. This should now be done with satellite imagery to provide an up-to-date base for the development projects. The data base already created and the preparation for satellite based information systems is at a fairly advanced stage and is now ready for implementation. The hardware configuration, application software and data inventory are planned in 1995.

Short Run Forecasting
India has signed the Data Dissemination Standards Systems of the IMF, making a commitment to deliver periodic national account information on a standardised basis as the Statistics Minister, I had accepted this obligation in 1997, on the belief that India should play a leadership role in economic statistics in developing countries. Also such information would need to be generated for private sector use in a liberalising economy, as public policy.

The project involves forecast of quarterly series of national account estimates. While quarterly data may be difficult to generate. I believe that biannual estimates can be useful in corresponding to the agricultural seasons - Kharif and Rabi. This will require the implementation of FASAL project, formerly developed by ISRO and MDA, which is again at an advanced stage of preparation and can be implemented early.

Summing up
In both the projects, we have briefly described, sufficient details exist to suggest substantial implementation possibilities in a short time. The problems that have to be resolved are in the area of coordination between organisations of long histories.

India's draft space policy suggests that in these areas, as also education, communication and entertainment, space products should now be disseminated and sold (retailed) through different delivery systems and modes, including cooperative, private NGOs etc.
The stage is now set to implement many of the techniques you are discussing I hope you will pay attention to the implementation mode in yow deliberations, because it can have important consequences for India. I wish you well