Improving Pasture Mapping and Monitoring in Support of Net Zero Deforestation in Brazil

Pasturelands are vital for the environment, economy, and society globally. In Brazil, they cover approximately 18.72% of the country's total area, with the state of Mato Grosso being a significant agricultural region. Mato Grosso has the largest cultivated area and cattle herd in Brazil, encompassing three biomes: Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal. The distribution, dynamics, and quality of pastures in Mato Grosso are crucial for the country's food supply chain and present a challenge for the Brazilian government due to deforestation and land degradation. Using machine learning, cloud computing, and Landsat 8 satellite imagery, this work produced a consistent time-series of pasture maps from 2015 to 2021. The methodology involved modifications to the MapBiomas initiative, resulting in improved accuracy. Further research will focus on refining pasture quality assessment and correlating it with property size, land-use changes, and environmental considerations to support decisionmaking.