8.3 Agro-Geoinformatics
8.3.1 Definition
Data itself will not reveal valuable information to people on its own. It needs data
processing and analytics to surface the decision-wise information hidden in the data.
The science of informatics dealing with data has been accounted as an important tool
for information generation. Coupling this computational capability of informatics
with earth science data is normally referred as geoinformatics (Di and Yang 2014).
Based on the same idea, applying geoinformatics on agriculture-related data is called
agro-geoinformatics (Yu et al. 2019; Di et al. 2017a).
Agro-geoinformation, the agricultural-related geo-information, is the key information in the agricultural decision-making and policy formulation process (Di and
Yang 2014). Agro-geoinformation is derived from agricultural-related geospatial
data or agro-geodata. If the agro-geodata volume is huge, we can simply refer the
data as agro-big data. Agro-geoinformatics is a discipline that collects and manage
agricultural-related geospatial data, derives agro-geoinformation and knowledge
from the data, and applies the derived information and knowledge to solve management and decision-making issues in agriculture (Di and Yang 2014). Therefore,
agro-geoinformatics deals with the entire life cycle of agro-geoinformation transformation, ranging from data collection, information and knowledge derivation, and the
applications of information and knowledge in the agricultural domain. It includes
both the agro-big data management and agro-big data analytics.
8.3.2 Agro-Geoinformatics: Connecting Agro-Big Data
to Agricultural Applications
As an emerging transdisciplinary research area, agro-geoinformatics has extensive
applications in agricultural sustainability, food security, environmental research,
bioenergy, natural resource conservation, land use management, carbon accounting, global climate change, public health, agricultural industry, commodity trading, economy research, education, agricultural decision-making and policy
formulation, and other areas that are of vital importance to agricultural economy.
Advancements of remote sensing, sensor networks, and geographic information
systems nurture numerous applications to improve agricultural productivity and
efficiency (Yu et al. 2019).
The data processed in agro-geoinformatics covers a variety of sources like
satellites, manned aircrafts, drones, field cameras, tractor sensors, soil sensors,
weather stations, and even social media. Remote sensing is one of the key methods
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8.3.1 Definition
Data itself will not reveal valuable information to people on its own. It needs data
processing and analytics to surface the decision-wise information hidden in the data.
The science of informatics dealing with data has been accounted as an important tool
for information generation. Coupling this computational capability of informatics
with earth science data is normally referred as geoinformatics (Di and Yang 2014).
Based on the same idea, applying geoinformatics on agriculture-related data is called
agro-geoinformatics (Yu et al. 2019; Di et al. 2017a).
Agro-geoinformation, the agricultural-related geo-information, is the key information in the agricultural decision-making and policy formulation process (Di and
Yang 2014). Agro-geoinformation is derived from agricultural-related geospatial
data or agro-geodata. If the agro-geodata volume is huge, we can simply refer the
data as agro-big data. Agro-geoinformatics is a discipline that collects and manage
agricultural-related geospatial data, derives agro-geoinformation and knowledge
from the data, and applies the derived information and knowledge to solve management and decision-making issues in agriculture (Di and Yang 2014). Therefore,
agro-geoinformatics deals with the entire life cycle of agro-geoinformation transformation, ranging from data collection, information and knowledge derivation, and the
applications of information and knowledge in the agricultural domain. It includes
both the agro-big data management and agro-big data analytics.
8.3.2 Agro-Geoinformatics: Connecting Agro-Big Data
to Agricultural Applications
As an emerging transdisciplinary research area, agro-geoinformatics has extensive
applications in agricultural sustainability, food security, environmental research,
bioenergy, natural resource conservation, land use management, carbon accounting, global climate change, public health, agricultural industry, commodity trading, economy research, education, agricultural decision-making and policy
formulation, and other areas that are of vital importance to agricultural economy.
Advancements of remote sensing, sensor networks, and geographic information
systems nurture numerous applications to improve agricultural productivity and
efficiency (Yu et al. 2019).
The data processed in agro-geoinformatics covers a variety of sources like
satellites, manned aircrafts, drones, field cameras, tractor sensors, soil sensors,
weather stations, and even social media. Remote sensing is one of the key methods
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