Nepal-Dhanusha_Mahottari

Overview

This study site is located in the Dhanusha and Mohattari districts of Madhesh Province, Nepal. The study area encompasses approximately 32 km × 19 km. We aim to map crop cover and crop rotation and estimate the impact and damage of crops because of drought at various scales. We have been collecting land use/land cover (LULC) and crop type in situ data through a participatory approach, using digital data collection methods based on the ODK system. We plan to utilize in situ data together with UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) and active and passive remote sensing data (e.g., Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and the upcoming NISAR) for crop acreage estimation, understanding crop rotations, and the effect of drought on crop yield.

Project Objectives

Mapping Agricultural Areas

Operational Implementation Plan

We have collected crop-type in situ data for summer crops in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. We plan to collect crop-type in situ data for both the summer and the winter crops starting in 2025, together with drought information.

Scale

Land Cover
  • Spatial Resolution:
  • Temporal Resolution: Biannual

Estimating Crop Conditions

Operational Implementation Plan

We plan to utilize SAR data for the delineation of rainfed and irrigated paddy fields. We plan to utilize UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) for the estimation of yield loss due to drought at select farmers’ fields.

Crop Conditions
  • Drought

Forecasting Agricultural Variables

Operational Implementation Plan

We will monitor temporal change in crop-type and monitor crop rotation. We will estimate soil moisture using SAR data. We will also estimate the crop yield.

Agricultural Variables (large scale)
  • Yield
  • Soil Moisture
  • Temporal Change
  • Crop rotation

Site Description

Landscape TopographyFlat
Typical Field Size0.05-0.2 ha
Climatic ZoneSubtropics, warm/ mod cool
Major Crops and Calendars

Rice (Normal):
Calendar: June - December
Typical Rotation: Rice-Wheat Rice-Lentils

Maize (Normal):
Calendar: March - October
Typical Rotation: Maize-Lentils

Sugar cane (Early):
Calendar: November - January

Sugar cane (Normal):
Calendar: March - February

Winter Wheat (Normal):
Calendar: December - April
Typical Rotation: Rice-Wheat

Soil Type & Texture

Inorganic:

  • Sandy Loam
  • Loam
Soil Drainage ClassPoorly to Imperfectly drained
Irrigation InfrastructureRainfed, Groundwater, and Surface Irrigation
Other Site Details

In Situ Observations

Crop Type

  • Crop Type(s): Rice, Sugar cane, Maize, Winter Wheat, Lentils
  • Collection Protocol:
  • Frequency: Biannual

Crop Yield

  • Crop Type(s): Rice
  • Collection Protocol:
  • Frequency: Annual

EO Data

Optical Data Requirements

  • Approximate Start Date of Acquisition: 01/06
  • Approximate End Date of Acquisition: 31/05
  • Spatial resolution: High resolution (5-20m)
  • temporal_frequency: Biweekly
  • Level of Expertise: Intermediate
  • Latency of Data Delivery: More than 5 days
  • Challanges:

    • SAR Data Requirements

  • Approximate Start Date of Acquisition: 01/06
  • Approximate End Date of Acquisition: 31/05
  • Spatial resolution: Medium resolution (20-60m)
  • temporal_frequency: Biweekly
  • Frequency: CS
  • Incidence Angle: Medium
  • Polarisation:
  • Level of Processing: Level 1
  • Orbit: Any
  • Level of Expertise: Intermediate
  • Latency of Data Delivery: 2-5 days
  • Challanges:

    • Passive Microwave Data Requirements

    Thermal Data Requirements

    Results

    Documents and Files

    Links to paper

    Project Reports

    Study Team

    Team Leader

  • Name: Uma Shankar Panday
  • Affiliation: Department of Geomatics Engineering, Kathmandu University
  • Affiliation Webpage: https://geom.ku.edu.np/
  • Position: Assistant Professor
  • Email: uspanday@ku.edu.np
  • Personal Webpage:
  • Phone number:
  • Postal Address: P.O. Box: 6250, Kathmandu, Nepal

    • Other Team Members

  • Name: Arun Kumar Pratihast
  • Affiliation: Earth Observation and Environmental Informatics group, Wageningen Environmental Research
  • Affiliation Webpage: https://www.wur.nl/en/persons/arun-pratihast.htm
  • Position: Senior Data Scientist
  • Email: arun.pratihast@wur.nl
  • Personal Webpage: https://www.wur.nl/en/persons/arun-pratihast.htm
  • Role: Co-Lead

  • Name: Digvijaya Paudel
  • Affiliation: Department of Geomatics Engineering, Kathmandu University
  • Affiliation Webpage: https://geom.ku.edu.np/
  • Position: Lecturer
  • Email: digvijaya.paudel@ku.edu.np
  • Personal Webpage:
  • Role: Member