How do you prove that sustainable farming practices are happening on the ground? Increasingly, the answer may come from space.
Satellite technology is creating new possibilities for agricultural producers and financing institutions to monitor and demonstrate the adoption of sustainable farming practices, such as cover cropping and reduced tillage, from space. By providing consistent data across large areas, it can reduce the cost and practical challenges associated with traditional on-the-ground monitoring.
These opportunities were explored during an online event held on 30 September 2026, which brought together representatives from the agribusiness and finance sectors, government institutions and research organizations to explore the future of Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) in Ukraine’s agricultural sector.
Organized by the EBRD, FAO, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) and the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB), and moderated by Dmytro Prykhodko, Senior Economist at FAO, the discussion explored how satellite Earth observation data could make sustainability reporting more transparent, reliable and scalable.
As Ukraine continues its journey toward greater alignment with European environmental and sustainable agricultural practices, the ability to credibly monitor and verify sustainable farming practices will become increasingly important. Agricultural producers will increasingly need credible evidence demonstrating that sustainability measures have been implemented and maintained over time.
Remote monitoring technologies offer a promising solution, helping to generate objective data at scale while reducing reliance on costly and resource-intensive field-based monitoring.
The event brought together perspectives from leading organizations driving innovation and development in the sector, including Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, EBRD, UGA, UCAB and NASA Harvest, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the private sector, public institutions, industry associations, financial partners and research leaders.
A key highlight of the event was a proof-of-concept study conducted by NASA Harvest and the University of Strasbourg. Dr. Josef Wagner presented findings on how satellite Earth observation data can be applied to agricultural MRV in Ukraine.
The research included a case study of an agricultural portfolio managed by Kernel, one of Ukraine’s leading farming and oilseed processing companies, covering 81 fields and more than 14 000 hectares. The analysis showed that the company’s crop rotation performance and crop diversity outperformed regional benchmarks in Ukraine.
Presenters also demonstrated a prototype tool designed to make the approach accessible to industry users, showing how satellite-derived information could potentially be translated into practical evidence for agricultural businesses. Further satellite-based MRV tools could be quite cost-effective, especially compared to conventional monitoring, particularly where physical field visits across large areas are costly.
The discussion showed how satellite technology could change the way sustainable agricultural practices are evidenced. Rather than relying solely on self-reporting or resource-intensive field visits, Earth observation data could provide an additional, objective source of information across large agricultural areas.
For Ukraine’s agrifood sector, that could ultimately mean stronger evidence, greater transparency and more scalable monitoring of sustainable practices, helping businesses respond to evolving market and environmental expectations. The event highlighted that these innovative, data-driven approaches are no longer a vision for the future. They are already becoming practical tools that can help shape a more resilient, competitive and sustainable agrifood sector across Ukraine.