Agricultural intelligence glossary

Key terms in satellite crop monitoring, precision agriculture, and AI-powered farm intelligence.

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

A measurement derived from satellite imagery that quantifies vegetation health. NDVI scores range from -1 to +1, where values above 0.6 indicate healthy, dense vegetation and values below 0.2 indicate stressed or bare land. NDVI is the most widely used index in satellite crop monitoring.

NDMI (Normalized Difference Moisture Index)

A satellite-derived index that measures vegetation water content. NDMI detects soil moisture stress in crops before visible wilting occurs, enabling early irrigation decisions. Values range from -1 to +1, with higher values indicating greater moisture content.

NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index)

A remote sensing measurement used to detect water bodies and monitor water content in vegetation. NDWI is useful for flood detection, irrigation monitoring, and assessing waterlogging risk on agricultural land.

Crop suitability analysis

An AI-driven assessment that determines how well a specific crop will perform on a given piece of land, considering soil type, climate zone, rainfall patterns, altitude, and market conditions. FarmHawk's suitability engine evaluates 84 crops and provides a percentage score with commercial viability projections.

Remote sensing

The science of acquiring information about the Earth's surface from a distance, typically using satellites or aircraft. In agriculture, remote sensing provides crop health data, soil moisture levels, and land-use patterns without requiring physical access to the farm.

Multispectral imagery

Satellite imagery captured in multiple wavelengths of light beyond what the human eye can see, including near-infrared and shortwave infrared. Different wavelengths reveal different properties of vegetation, soil, and water, enabling precise agricultural analysis.

Sentinel-2

A constellation of two Earth observation satellites operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Copernicus programme. Sentinel-2 provides free, high-resolution multispectral imagery with a 5-day revisit cycle, making it the primary data source for satellite-based crop monitoring platforms like FarmHawk.

Precision agriculture

A farming management approach that uses technology — satellite imagery, AI, sensors, and data analytics — to observe, measure, and respond to variability in crops. The goal is to optimise inputs (water, fertiliser, pesticides) for each section of a farm rather than treating the entire farm uniformly.

Vegetation index

A mathematical formula applied to satellite imagery that highlights vegetation properties. Common vegetation indices include NDVI (health), NDMI (moisture), and EVI (enhanced vegetation). These indices convert raw spectral data into meaningful agricultural measurements.

Crop health score

A composite index generated by FarmHawk's AI that combines multiple satellite measurements (NDVI, NDMI, growth stage, anomaly detection) into a single score representing overall crop condition. The score is contextualised for the specific crop type, region, and season.

Yield prediction

An AI-generated estimate of expected crop output based on current vegetation health, historical yield data, weather patterns, and crop-specific growth models. Yield predictions help farmers plan harvesting, storage, and market timing.

Spectral signature

The unique pattern of light wavelengths reflected or absorbed by a specific material. In agriculture, different crops have distinct spectral signatures that allow satellite-based AI to identify crop type, growth stage, and health status from space.

Smallholder farmer

A farmer who operates a small area of land, typically under 2 hectares. Smallholder farmers produce approximately 80% of the food in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. FarmHawk is specifically designed for smallholder farming contexts where expensive precision agriculture tools are not accessible.

Farm advisory

Actionable recommendations delivered to farmers based on satellite analysis. FarmHawk's advisory includes irrigation guidance, fertilisation timing, pest risk alerts, harvest recommendations, and crop management instructions, delivered in 14 languages.