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Digital Mapping and Data Processing Mentoring Strengthens Precision Agriculture Skills

From 21 July to 5 August 2026, the Building Action for Integration and Development Engagement (BAIDE) coordinated a series of mentoring sessions on Digital Mapping and Data Processing for participants from the National University of Battambang (NUBB) and the drone service provider Drone Neak Meas. The mentoring sessions were delivered by experts from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU) under the SmartAgriCambodia Project. The activity aimed to strengthen the technical capacity of participants to process drone imagery and transform aerial data into practical digital tools for precision agriculture and data-driven farm management. The mentoring programme covered several key technical areas, including: Use of digital mapping equipment, including laptops, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and RTK base stations; Processing and analysis of drone imagery using Pix4Dmapper; Spatial data processing and analysis using QGIS; Calculation and interpretation of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for assessing crop conditions; and Development of variable-rate application (VRA) maps to support site-specific crop management. The programme combined classroom-based instruction with extensive hands-on exercises using real drone data collected from agricultural fields. This practical approach enabled participants to work through the complete data-processing workflow, from collecting and processing aerial imagery to generating digital maps and interpreting information relevant to crop management. Through the mentoring sessions, participants strengthened their ability to produce accurate digital field maps, assess crop conditions using vegetation indices, analyse spatial agricultural data, and develop application maps that can support more targeted and efficient use of agricultural inputs. The skills developed through the activity will also support participants in providing digital mapping and agricultural data services, sharing knowledge with other technical staff and farmers, and applying precision agriculture technologies in practical field conditions. The activity contributes to the broader objectives of the SmartAgriCambodia Project by strengthening local technical capacity in digital agriculture and supporting the transition towards more precise, efficient, and sustainable farming practices in Cambodia.