Chapter-29: Integration of Geoinformatics in Agricultural Policy: The Common Agricultural Policy Perspective

With the rapid increase in population, the demand for food is expected to rise, however the supply of food is limited due to depletion of resources, degradation of environment and inadequate agricultural capacity. To address this challenges, agricultural production has to be increased in sustainable manner, but at the same time, environmental degradation, climate change and resource shortages are the major concerns in agricultural sector. Use of advanced technology can play critical role in improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability. Geoinformatics can be significant at this juncture, due to its ability to support spatial analysis, resource monitoring and evidence-based decision making. Therefore, this study examines the geoinformatics tools, their applications in agriculture and further analyses how the integration of geoinformatics can influence the formulation and integration of agricultural policy. With special emphasis on the Common Agricultural Policy of European Union, the study evaluates the use of geoinformatics within agricultural governance systems and examine its effectiveness in promoting the geoinformatics to achieve sustainability, environmental protection and climate resilience. This research investigates the challenges, a country face to integrate geoinformatics in agricultural policy, including issues like technological infrastructure, cost, expertise, digital inequality and data governance. Based on these findings, the recommendation and strategies are proposed to strengthen the effective adoption of geoinformatics in agricultural planning and governance. This finding is based on secondary data from existing literatures, institutional reports and policy documents; hence it leaves scope for further empirical and field-based research.