In a move that could benefit around 22 million farmers, the EU's Common Agricultural Policy has entered the space age. Offering detailed and timely information on crops and farmland, the Copernicus Sentinels are now being used to simplify and modernise this longest-serving EU policy.
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) came into force in 1962 to ensure affordable food for European citizens and a fair standard of living for farmers. While this philosophy remains at policy's heart, the focus is also now firmly on sustainability, environmental protection, biodiversity and the climate.
To address these issues, as well as to reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency, the EU has been taking steps to reform the CAP. Recognising the huge potential of accurate and timely data provided by satellites, the EU turned to space.