Satellite embeddings for smallholder irrigation mapping: how far do the models transfer?

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In my PhD, models for mapping smallholder irrigation transferred badly from one region in Mozambique to another. Geospatial foundation models promise features that work everywhere, so I tested whether that holds for irrigation.

I compared plain Sentinel-2 with embeddings from two foundation models, AlphaEarth and TESSERA. I trained classifiers in one study area, applied them in another, and also transferred them between years (2021 and 2022), using the field data from my PhD study areas.

More about mapping smallholder irrigation

Foundation Models | Timon Weitkamp | No Worries, Just Maps

Satellite embeddings for smallholder irrigation mapping: how far do the models transfer?