Common Tasks

Use these tasks to work with the available Crop Production, Crop Detection, and Crop Health (NDVI) information in Visual Explorer. Before sharing a finding, confirm the selected crop, layer, region or map location, and detection date.

Task: Set the Crop and Active Layer

  1. Open Visual Explorer.
  2. Select the Crop control and choose an available crop.
  3. Open the data-layers control.
  4. Select Crop Production, Crop Detection, or Crop Health (NDVI).
  5. Confirm that the map and available controls reflect the selected crop and layer.

The crop selection provides the context for the selected layer. Use one active layer at a time so that the map has an unambiguous meaning.

Task: Find and Focus an Administrative Region

  1. Select the region search control.
  2. Enter the name of a country, region, district, or other configured administrative area.
  3. Select the required result.
  4. Confirm that the map focuses on the selected area.
  5. Use the reset map control when you want to return to the default country-level context.

Use region search when you know the place you need to review. Search is for configured administrative regions; detailed map features are explored directly on the map.

Task: Review Regional Crop Production

  1. Select the crop you want to review.
  2. Select Crop Production.
  3. Focus the map on the country or administrative region of interest.
  4. Use the yield-category legend to identify areas for closer inspection.
  5. Select or inspect an administrative region to review the values associated with its displayed category.

Compare yield categories within the same selected crop. The categories provide crop-specific context and are not a universal comparison across different crops.

For map interpretation guidance, see Interpret Layers and Scale.

Task: Review Crop Production Details for a Region

  1. Select an administrative region on the Crop Production map.
  2. Open the Crop Production data panel when it is available for the selected region.
  3. Confirm the region, crop, and detection date in the panel.
  4. Review the available production forecast, detected crop area, yield forecast, and yield category.
  5. Record the selected context before using the values in a briefing or further analysis.

The data panel provides the detail behind a regional map pattern. Treat the displayed detection date as part of the finding.

For details about the panel, history, sub-regions, and downloads, see Review Crop Production Data.

Task: Compare Historical and Sub-Region Production

  1. Open the Crop Production data panel for the region you want to review.
  2. Select Yield history to review available historical production context.
  3. Confirm the reporting years and crop shown before comparing values.
  4. Select Sub-regions to compare lower-level administrative areas.
  5. Use the chart view, where available, to compare patterns visually; use the table for exact values.

Historical production can differ in timing, source, and definition from a current forecast. Use it as context rather than as a direct equivalent.

For details about the available production views, see Review Crop Production Data.

Task: Inspect Detected Crop Presence

  1. Select the crop you want to investigate.
  2. Select Crop Detection.
  3. Navigate to a detailed map level where detected-crop information is available.
  4. Select a displayed detected area to review its crop and detection-date context.
  5. Use the observation with local knowledge or field information when validation is needed.

An area without a selectable detected feature is not, by itself, evidence that the crop is absent on the ground.

For interpretation guidance, see Interpret Layers and Scale.

Task: Investigate Crop Health Patterns

  1. Select the crop you want to investigate.
  2. Select Crop Health (NDVI).
  3. Navigate to a detailed map level where crop-health information is available.
  4. Select a displayed area to review the available NDVI value and classification.
  5. Compare nearby areas only in the same selected crop and detection-date context.
  6. Record an unexpected pattern for appropriate local or agronomic follow-up.

NDVI supports investigation of vegetation-health patterns. It does not, by itself, identify the cause of an observed condition.

For interpretation guidance, see Interpret Layers and Scale.

Task: Navigate the Map and Change Context

  1. Use the zoom controls, pointer, or map gestures to pan and zoom the map.
  2. Check whether the active layer remains supported at the current map detail.
  3. Use the available background-map control when a different basemap will help you interpret location context.
  4. Reconfirm the selected crop, layer, and area after changing map detail.

Crop Production is intended for administrative-region comparison. Crop Detection and Crop Health are available at supported detailed map levels. If the active layer is not displayed at the detail you need, choose a supported level or select a different layer.

Task: Download Crop Production Data

  1. Open the Crop Production data panel for the required region.
  2. Select the relevant view, such as overview, history, or sub-regions.
  3. Confirm the selected crop, region, and detection date.
  4. Select Download Data when that action is available.
  5. Store the export with enough context to identify its crop, region, date, and view.

The downloaded data represents the selected context. Confirm the context before using it in a report or briefing.

Task: Resolve Unavailable or Unexpected Data

  1. Confirm the selected crop, layer, region, and detection date.
  2. Check whether the active layer is supported at the current map detail.
  3. Use the map or region search to confirm that you are in the intended area.
  4. Review the guide’s Frequently Asked Questions for interpretation guidance.
  5. Contact your administrator if expected data is still unavailable.

Do not treat an empty panel, missing layer, or unavailable result as an agricultural conclusion without first confirming the selected context and data availability.