SatSure Joins Hands with JICA DXLab and BCG on a Proof-of-Concept to Develop a Digital Forest Health Monitoring System for the Rajasthan Forest Department (RFD)

The innovative initiative aims to enhance forest management and conservation efforts using cutting-edge satellite technologies.

BENGALURU, India, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SatSure Analytics India Pvt Ltd, one of the leading Earth Observation (EO) data refinery platforms, today announced that it will be collaborating with the Rajasthan Forest Department (RFD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) DXLab and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) to develop a forest health monitoring system in Rajasthan, as part of a larger vision to build the first-of-its-kind 'Forest Stack'. This move marks a pivotal shift for Rajasthan towards integrating digital technology into its forest conservation efforts. By integrating SatSure's satellite imagery and remote sensing expertise with existing data, this system will deliver actionable intelligence on forest health to RFD officials.

As a part of this development, SatSure will collaborate with JICA DXLab and BCG as a technology enabler to build the first use case of the stack, in the form of a digital forest health monitoring system. With its technological expertise, SatSure will create a comprehensive, open-source platform that integrates satellite imagery, remote sensing data, and existing forest data into an accessible and actionable dashboard. This will enable forest officials to track forest health, manage resources more efficiently, and implement conservation strategies.

RFD has been initiating several strategic steps towards the protection and management of forest resources, including the development of Forest Management and Decision Support System (FMDSS). It has several application modules, such as plantation monitoring, nursery inventory management, forest fire management, wildlife offenses tracking, among others. The digital forest health monitoring system will complement FMDSS and enable seamless data exchange.

Speaking about this development, Prateep Basu, Founder & CEO, SatSure says, "At SatSure, our vision is to deliver decision insights from space, and to positively impact society through this technology. Forests are a critical part of our sustainable future, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Rajasthan Forest Department and JICA in taking a first step towards creating the first-of-its-kind 'Forest Stack'. Through this pioneering initiative, we will create a replicable, open-source stack that can be replicated across different geographies globally. By leveraging our advanced geospatial analytics and satellite data integration, we aim to provide a robust platform that ensures efficient forest health monitoring and promotes sustainable forestry practices."

Dr. Venkatesh Sharma, APCCF & Project Director (RFBP-2), Rajasthan Forest Department said, "There is significant scope to leverage digital technologies and enable seamless data exchanges for enhanced monitoring of forest health. By utilizing satellite imagery, remote sensing data, existing project data, and near real-time data analytics, we can get actionable insights into forest health, overcoming the challenges of data fragmentation and physical record-keeping. This can bring about a pivotal shift for Rajasthan State towards integrating technology in its forest conservation efforts and a develop a comprehensive decision support system for the forest department. We are looking forward to leverage SatSure's expertise in geospatial analytics to deliver significant value for us through the forest health monitoring system."

Natsumi Kobayashi, Country Officer, South Asia Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said, "JICA has been supporting the state of Rajasthan in its forestry and biodiversity conservation initiatives for the last 30 years, and we are pleased to collaborate with SatSure to further strengthen RFD's capacity through this PoC. This initiative is the first step towards building a comprehensive Forest Stack – a digital public infrastructure that will empower developing nations to safeguard forest ecosystems by leveraging the power of data and digital technology. Our commitment is to support RFD in monitoring and managing their forest and natural resources more effectively, thereby contributing to the resolution of climate change. The solution is envisioned to be made available for other state forest departments, supporting India in advancing its forest management practices and ultimately contributing to global environmental sustainability." 

Aparna Bijapurkar, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said, "BCG is excited to collaborate with JICA DXLab and work with SatSure on this visionary project for building the forest health monitoring system for the Rajasthan Forest Department. By harnessing the power of digital technologies and working closely with committed RFD leadership, we intend to make Rajasthan a lighthouse state for building the comprehensive forest stack. BCG is working closely with multiple government institutions in India and will leverage this deep experience to ensure widespread adoption of the system to drive long-term business process change for RFD."

Sushma Vasudevan, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said, "At BCG, our aim is to be the most positively impactful company in the world. We have deep sectoral knowledge in forestry and significant expertise in driving large-scale technology transformations across the world. We will bring this expertise to build the digital forest stack for Rajasthan. The forest stack can cater to a diverse set of users beyond RFD, such as researchers and private players, and enable multiple other use cases such as facilitating carbon credits. This will unlock myriad benefits, improving the state's conservation efforts and enhancing livelihoods of local communities across the state."

This initiative underscores the importance of digitization in forest management, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of global sustainability efforts. The Forest Stack is envisioned to not only benefit forestry departments but also enhance community welfare and ecological health, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

About SatSure:

SatSure is a deep tech, decision intelligence company headquartered in Bangalore, India. Leveraging satellite imagery and AI, SatSure provides valuable insights to industries such as agriculture, insurance, and infrastructure. Their solutions empower clients to make data-driven decisions and drive sustainable development. For more information, visit here.

About JICA DXLab:

JICA DXLab is an initiative by Japan International Cooperation Agency focused on leveraging digital technologies to enhance global development projects through Proof-of-Concept pilots. DXLab collaborates with Digital Partners to integrate data-driven solutions into JICA's projects in areas such as environmental conservation, agriculture, health, and infrastructure development. For more information about this PoC for a digital forest health monitoring system in Rajasthan, click here. To learn more about JICA DXLab and its other PoCs, click here.

About Boston Consulting Group:

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place. For more information, please visit https://www.bcg.com.

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