Analysing Planting Year of Cashew Orchards in Odienne, Ivory Coast using Landsat Time Series (1999-2022)

By Chitra Joshi

Abstract
The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L) is a versatile perennial plant with global economic significance. This study explores the planting year assessment of cashew orchards in the Odienne region of the Ivory Coast using remote sensing techniques. Cashew trees, known for their adaptability and yield potential, are vital contributors to agriculture in tropical regions. The research achieved remarkable classification accuracy (97%) in identifying cashew orchards using Sentinel-2 imagery and the Random Forest classifier. Additionally, the LandTrendr algorithm, coupled with Landsat data, showed potential for estimating planting years with an RMSE of 3.2 years and R2 of 0.8. This approach offers practical insights into optimizing cashew farming practices, enhancing productivity, and supporting sustainable agricultural systems. This research demonstrates remote sensing's efficacy in estimating planting years and mapping cashew orchards, with potential benefits extending beyond Ivory Coast.

Keywords: Cashew; Planting Year; Random Forest; Classification; LandTrendr