The four highlighted ones took part in FWI’s initial proof-of-concept satellite imagery study in 2024
One of the core challenges faced by fish farmers operating in earthen ponds in India is maintaining high water quality. As farmers are heavily dependent on inflow from communal reservoirs, and lack technology like aeration, dissolved oxygen levels often plummet, ammonia levels often spike, and the fish are left in conditions ill-suited for living, let alone for profitable farming.
To address these challenges, the non-profit organisation Fish Welfare Initiative (FWI) operates a farm-to-farm programme in Andhra Pradesh, individually visiting each of its 158 partner farms every few weeks to take water quality measurements, and – where issues are observed – provide corrective actions to the farmers.
However, there is one significant challenge that confronts such a program: scale.
As Haven King-Nobles, co-founder and executive director of FWI, explains: “We are proud of our programme, and of the impact we are achieving right now. But we can only get so far by relying on individual visits, so we are now seeking a way to notify farmers of issues without us ever having to leave the office.”
From this sample, FWI will use the Winkler Method to assess oxygen levels back at its lab © FWI
Satellites and Indian aquaculture
To address these scalability challenges, FWI is exploring the potential of satellite monitoring systems. By correlating multispectral imagery data with specific water quality parameters, the organisation aims to notify farmers of critical issues, such as toxic ammonia levels, without the need for on-site visits.
This approach aligns with a growing global interest in applying satellite imagery to aquaculture. Companies like GalaxEye, Dynaspace, and Captain Fresh are already using this technology. In early 2024, FWI even collaborated with Captain Fresh on a proof-of-concept study.
Teja Sangeetha, a project manager at FWI, highlights its potential, saying: “During our study, farmers were astonished to learn that water quality data could be derived from satellite images. For many, regular testing at private labs is both costly and logistically challenging. This technology could bridge that gap, bringing accessible water quality monitoring directly to their fingertips.
“Once developed and validated, this technology could revolutionise water management in aquaculture. It would enable FWI to monitor multiple clusters nationwide, target areas with persistent water quality issues, and direct efforts where they’re needed most: maximising impact and improving outcomes for both farmers and their fish.”
The launch of an innovation challenge
To incentivise the development of this technology, FWI has launched an innovation challenge, offering a reward of up to Rs 8.5 lakh (approximately $10,000) for the model that best demonstrates accuracy in predicting key water quality parameters in earthen pond aquaculture.
“With this challenge, we hope to raise the profile of satellite technology in aquaculture and encourage developers who may already have advanced models to validate their efficacy for this application,” says King-Nobles.
The challenge is open to remote-sensing companies, academic institutions, non-profits, and individuals worldwide. However, FWI is particularly excited to receive submissions from Indian participants.
Next steps
Interested parties are encouraged to review the innovation challenge details and submit their models by 28 February. For more information, visit FWI’s Innovation Challenge.
