TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A representative of Taiwan’s space agency said satellites are helping to monitor the health of banana crops in developing countries at a forum in Guatemala on Wednesday (Oct. 16).

Deputy leader of the Taiwan Space Agency’s (TASA) satellite data team Chang Li-yu (張立雨) described the technology at a plant disease forum organized by Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) and the El Salvador-based International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA). 

He said the monitoring system prevented the occurrence of yellow Sigatoka leaf spot disease in bananas grown in Guatemala and Belize, per CNA.

Chang said the technology has been in use for over three years, and that it represents the first time satellites have been used to monitor disease in banana crops. He said 20 satellite monitoring points have been established in the two countries, allowing for 5,000 hectares of banana plantations to be monitored from space.

Chang explained the technology works by monitoring the light absorbed by banana plants. He said that if banana plants are infected with the yellow Sigatoka disease, their leaves will reflect less light.

Taiwanese FORMOSAT-5 satellites are used to measure this information and determine whether the plants are growing normally, Chang said. He said the satellites can provide high-resolution satellite imagery 24 hours per day, in combination with the work of on-site agricultural technicians to prevent disease and the occurrence of pests.

ICDF’s technical mission in Guatemala said that Central America exports about 10.8% of the world’s bananas, making the region the world's largest banana exporter by volume. It added the annual value of banana exports from Guatemala and Belize exceeds NT$32 billion (US$1 billion), and that yellow Sigatoka disease poses a major threat to the regional economy.

The mission said it plans to hire satellite imaging experts from Guatemala and Belize and train them to operate the crop monitoring systems. It said it hopes this will strengthen friendly countries’ ability to monitor the health of banana crops.

Guatemala and Belize are both formal diplomatic allies of Taiwan.