The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has directed its efforts towards helping Zambia boost its agriculture sector, having given the South African national a high-definition cropland distribution dataset, en.people.cn reports.

The CAS revealed that the Zambia National Fine Resolution Cropland Data Layer provides almost real-time cropland data and a resolution ratio spanning up to 10 meters.

Yan Qing, head of the academy's Bureau of Science and Technology for Development, said that this will greatly boost cropland mapping in the country and will be especially useful when observing the key mechanisms of cropland distribution.

Peter Kalunga, Director of Agriculture in the ministry, said: "Recent advances and trends in geospatial technologies are making it easier and more cost-effective to monitor food and agriculture resources in a timely manner.”

This initiative forms part of the projects targeting sustainable development in the Belt and Road region and was built upon the CAS' Big Earth Data Program, which Kalunga credits for providing information on food production, food security and nutrition in Zambia.

CAS also hopes that the new dataset will allow Zambian authorities to create policies that are primarily based on science, as well as boost ties between the Chinese academy and Zambian research institutes.