The UK Space Agency has announced two innovative projects that will use satellite data and digital tools to help farmers make more informed decisions, boost productivity and care for the environment.
The Unlocking Space for Agriculture initiative will be delivered across Scotland and the east of England, by Space Scotland and Space East and supported through the UK Space Agency’s Space Cluster Partnership Programme.
It is also supported by the UK Space Agency’s; Unlocking Space for Business (USB) programme, which aims to accelerate commercial adoption of satellite-enabled solutions by businesses amd is funding two four‑month pilot projects.
Running now for the remainder of the 2025/2026 financial year, these pilots will work directly with farmers, growers, and technology suppliers to co-develop solutions that give farmers tools to help decision-making on cropping and land health.
This is to test if involving end-users early can speed up the development of practical, near-market solutions for UK agricultural businesses.
GeoCrop
GeoCrop is the first project, which aims to help farmers make better cropping decisions.
According to the UK Space Agency: “Every year, farmers face a difficult balancing act when planning crops.
“Planting earlier in the season can secure higher prices by reducing reliance on imports, but early planting also comes with risks, especially when weather patterns are unpredictable.”
The GeoCrop project aims to give farmers clearer, more reliable information when making these decisions.
A team consisting of EOLAS Insight, Satarla, Tap-That, Home Farm Nacton, the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS), and Agri-TechE; will develop a first version of a new data service that combines satellite images, weather information and supply chain insights.
This tool will help farmers understand factors such as soil moisture, temperature and market timing; and how it might affect the success their crop.
In order to make sure the service reflects real needs, this project will be working directly with farming groups in order to help shape a tool that is practical, easy to use and grounded in farmers everyday decision making.
SEDERS
The second project, known as Space Enabled Decarbonisation, Environmental and Regenerative Solutions (SEDERS), focuses on helping farmers measure and improve the health of their land, to support greener farming.
This four-month research and development project brings together Oversite Earth, Barlow Farming Company, Gledpark Farm and Inforgen.
The goal is to show how satellite Earth Observation data from space, can be combined with small sensors placed in fields, to validate remotely sensed data to give famers a clear picture of their overall natural capital over time.
Overall natural capital would include biodiversity, soil carbon, water flow , habitats and overall condition.
According to the UK Space Agency: “By providing an affordable and repeatable way to measure environmental progress, the project aims to support farmers who are trying to increase biodiversity, reduce emissions and adopt more regenerative practices, all while maintaining a productive and profitable farm.”
By working directly with farmers and technology developers the UK Space Agency’s Unlocking Space for Business programme is helping to accelerate practical innovation, strengthen environmental management and ensure space‑powered solutions are shaped by the people who need them most.
This will help unlock new opportunities for a strong, sustainable agricultural sector, with farmers leading the way to improve these tools themselves.
