Crop Inventory and Production Forecasting Using Remote Sensing and Agrometorological Models: the Case of Major Agricultural Commodities in Hamadan Province, Iran

This paper summarises the result and findings of a research project, that was aiming at design and development of an information system which supports crop forecasting of major agricultural commodities in Iran. In this system, crop area estimates are generated through area frame sampling and processing of satellite data, and yields are derived through the application of crop growth simulation model and statistical techniques. The applicability of some of the presents techniques in the context of developing countries are commented. The components that could be operationally applied as well as the major bottlenecks and difficulties that are limiting the application of remote sensing in mapping of the land cover, and crop growth simulation for yield estimation, especially in the context of crop forecasting are identified.