Agricultural statistics: application of aerial-survey and remote-sensing techniques for 1999-2003

PURPOSE : to present a report from the Commission on the implementation of Decision 1445/2000/EC on the application of areal-survey and remote-sensing techniques to the agricultural statistics for 1999 to 2003. CONTENT : this report has been drawn up pursuant to Article 6 of Decision 1445/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2000 on the application of areal-survey and remote-sensing techniques to the agricultural statistics for 1999 to 2003. This Article states that by 31 July 2003 at the latest, the Commission shall present a report on the implementation of these measures and on this use of the resources made available, accompanied, where appropriate, by any proposals on how areal-survey ad remote-sensing techniques may continue to be used for agricultural statistics. This general report follows the annual reports presented by the Commission which concern the implementation, the methods used, the use of appropriations, the evaluation of the results obtained and the work programme for the following year. The aim of this report is to review the two principal measures carried out pursuant to Decision 1445/2000/EC, namely: an areal-survey at European level (LUCAS) and the operationalisation of a system of meteorological monitoring of crops and yield forecasts (MARS). It should be borne in mind that the late adoption of Decision 1445/2000/EC, which covered the period 1999-2003, meant that it was not possible to carry out the first LUCAS pilot survey until 2001. It was possible to continue the agro-meteorology related activities during the transitional period (1999-2000) thanks to funds temporarily available to the JRC for other research and development activities (MARS Project). The report concludes that in light of the partial evaluation set out in this report and of the experience to date, the Commission believes that a four-year extension (from 2004-2007) to the basic Decision would enable it to carry out an additional areal survey and a much less random and more authoritative evaluation than one based solely on the result of two, and possibly only one, survey. In addition, a similar extension for the MARS project (the agro-meteorogical aspect) would be fully compatible with the positive evaluation of this measure in recent years.�