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Farming and Space

Caz Graham discovers how farming on planet Earth is increasingly being shaped by outer space, and looks into the future with the aid of satellites and space scientists.

Caz Graham discovers how farming on planet Earth is increasingly being shaped by outer space.

For On Your Farm, Caz visits Julian Gold, who farms on the Hendred Estate in Oxfordshire in the shadow of the Harwell Campus, a centre for UK space research. Julian uses space technology in several ways on his farm, including using precision-guided tractors that steer themselves. Fifty-five years since the first satellite was launched into space, about six per cent of the UK economy is dependent on satellite technology and this figure is rising.

With the aid of Dr Hugh Mortimer, a space scientist from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and Stuart Martin, Vice Chair of UKspace, Caz peers into a high-tech future for agriculture involving invisible hedgerows, low-flying model aircraft and scanning for plant diseases from far, far above.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Rich Ward.

Available now

22 minutes

Last on

Sun 30 Dec 2012 06:35

Broadcast

  • Sun 30 Dec 2012 06:35