<p> Crop/No-Crop Samples for the validation of cropland map in South Asia</p><p>Summary:</p><p>1. 1591 samples generated blindly by 3 interpreters </p><p>2. Sampling scheme: Gridded random (i.e. systematic sampling) with 0.5x0.5 degree (Fig.2)</p><p>3. Samples were visually interpreted within a 250x250 homogeneous window</p><p>4. Interpretation Consensus on Reference Labels (Fig.3):</p><p> a. Cropland/Settlements</p><p> b. Cropland/Plantation</p><p> c. Cropland/Shrub land</p><p>5. Generated for accuracy assessment of 30m Cropland map of South Asia</p><p>6. 1500 independent samples can be generated for independent interpretation</p><p>Questions:</p><p>1. How were the samples distributed in a gridded pattern (e.g. center of a grid)?</p><p>Answer: The samples have been selected on the corners of a 0.5x0.5 degree grid. In other</p><p> words, the samples are on the corners of a 56x56km polygon. All the reference sample </p><p> polygons might not be falling in a 250x250m homogeneous area. Thus, the samples will </p><p> be checked once again if they are falling in homogeneous areas or not. The non-</p><p> homogeneous samples will be moved to the center of a nearby 250x250m homogeneous area in any direction (See Fig. 1). After this, the process of sampling will still be </p><p> considered as a random gridded sampling scheme.</p><p>Figure1. One 0.5x0.5 degree grid with individual sample location on the corners and their shift to the center of a 250x250m homogeneous area</p><p>2. How will 1500 more independent samples be generated for independent validation? Answer: The already generated 1500 samples will only be used for independent </p><p> validation and now there is no need to generate another set of samples for the validation </p><p> of cropland extent map of South Asia.</p><p>3. How was the proportion of crop/No-Crop samples chosen (i.e., 67% Crop and 33% NC </p><p> sample proportion) in 1591 generated samples?</p><p>Answer: The crop proportion has been selected based on some reference source which </p><p> needs to be provided by Murali. According to Murali, South Asia has almost 75% area </p><p> under cropland which has also been maintained in sample size distribution to perform a </p><p> visual interpretation of crop/no-crop labels using high resolution imagery.</p><p>4. How will the reference labels with two possibilities be treated for crop/no-crop </p><p> validation?</p><p>Answer: Once the non-homogeneous samples labeled with two possibilities will be </p><p> moved to nearby homogeneous area, the issue of double labels will be resolved.</p><p>5. The 250m cropland extent map has already been received for South Asia. Are these </p><p> samples generated for 30m or 250m validation?</p><p>Answer: The samples have been generated for independent validation of 250m cropland </p><p> extent map that has already been shared by Murali. </p><p>6. Did you look for agro ecological zones in South Asia?</p><p>Answer: The agro ecological zones have not been used and seen yet for South Asia. But </p><p> this could be looked over by the accuracy team to perform zone wise validation in South </p><p>Asia. Figure2. 1591 gridded samples generated for South Asia Crop/No-Cop Validation</p><p>Figure3. The attribute table attached with 1591 samples </p>