At least 3 times a year, a consortium of Belgian research institutes (CRA-W, IRM/KMI, VITO) currently lead by CRA-W publishes agro-meteorological bulletins at national level. These bulletins provide an analysis of the current growing season based on meteorological and remote sensing data and on field observations. In addition, in June and September, crop yield forecasts are provided for the main crops grown in Belgium (winter wheat & barley, maize, potato and sugar beet). The monitoring system is called “B-CGMS” (for “Belgian Crop Growth Monitoring System »).
These bulletins are currently distributed through e-mails to a wide range of national and European recipients including such as farmers, (EO and agricultural) researchers, public institutions, private companies or the agricultural press. Bulletins are also available on a dedicated website.
Indicators characterizing the development and crop growing conditions
The objective of the BCGMSweb project is to develop this website in a web platform allowing the dissemination, through maps and graphs, of indicators characterising the crop development and growing conditions. This information will complement the information published in the agrometeorological bulletins.
The indicators, in a first step only available at agricultural regions scale, are of different types :
- Agrometeorological indicators characterising the crop growing conditions.
- Indicators derived from satellites and characterising the crop growth
- Official yield statistics and yield predictions provided by the crop growth monitoring system B-CGMS.
- Field-based (crop calendars) and remotely-sensed phenological data.
- The agrometeorological bulletins.
Partnership
Funding
The project is funded by the Federal Science Policy ( 
BELSPO)
Publications
Team
