The conference on the “Development of local communities” took place between 9^th and 10^th of May 2024 in Cluj, Romania. The purpose of this conference was to highlight the importance of acknowledging at a higher level the current state of the agriculture in Romanian village and countryside pointing out that many primary agro-food products do not find their place in what is meant by the marketing area or the production area. With this approach in mind, BIORO highlighted the opportunities presented by the AgriDataValue project and the significant improvements it can bring to Romanian agriculture.

Within the context of the AgriDataValue pilot activities, two SynField smart agriculture systems were installed in Italy: one in a vineyard and the other in an olive grove. Each installation comprises of a SynField X3 head node, a meteorological station, and a soil sensor (measuring soil moisture and soil temperature). The meteorological station records ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind intensity, wind direction, and rainfall. SynField can collect real-time environmental data prevailing in the area and provide valuable insights to the producers. The first SynField installation was conducted in a vineyard, located in Tebano (RA), within the Emilia-Romagna region (northeast Italy). Covering 7 hectares, the vineyard is situated on flat terrain with a clayey loam soil. Cultivation follows an integrated management approach, combining sustainable practices to ensure a balanced ecosystem. The varieties grown are Sangiovese and Trebbiano, both grafted onto KOBER 5BB rootstocks. Planting was carried out in 2021, using the Guyot training system. The spacing between rows is 2.6 meters, with 1 meter between vines within the same row.

The second SynField system was installed in an olive grove which comprises of around 2000 olive trees, cultivated on approximately 3.5 ha, which are part of the total 13.24 hectares of the company’s land. It falls within the territory of the DOP Colline di Romagna, particularly in the upper Rubicone area, 300 meters above sea level, in the municipality of Roncofreddo in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna region. The olive trees are cultivated using a traditional system, with a globe training shape. The main cultivar present in the field are Leccino, Correggiolo and Ascolana. For the processing phase, the company has its own oil mill, and also bottling and distribution activities are carried out in-house.

In this project we expected to collect a large and heterogeneous amount of data from various sources and environments. Analyzing and validating this data will increase the accuracy of the sensor in detecting meteorological data. Other than that, integrating the collected data with field surveys, conducted during the season to detect diseases, can provide valuable insights for developing specific prediction model that can be a big benefit for growers. Moreover, producers can already take advantage from the data collected to plan field management in a more precision and smart way increasing their sustainability and profitability.

The partners of the AgriDataValue project have gathered to address project related issues in a two-day meeting. The fourth plenary meeting hosted by Atos, in Madrid, Spain on the 16^th and 17^th of April 2024.

The 2-day plenary meeting featured a number of technical and co-creation sessions, in which a fruitful discussion took place among the partners of the consortium. The consortium reviewed the progress on all work packages and had the chance to address development issues. The partners presented the results achieved so far and the next steps towards the successful delivery of the AgriDataValue project.

Synelixis presented AgriDataValue at the 1st Automation & Robotics Exhibition in Greece! The exhibition A &R EXPO ’24 took place on 12-14 April 2024 at the Athens Metropolitan Expo. Synelixis had the opportunity to inform visitors about AgriDataValue project and the major contribution of precision agriculture to modern rural production. Visitors expressed high interest in the technologies incorporated by the AgriDataValue project such as Agri-environmental monitoring and precision farming solutions. 

On 21-23 March 2024 the 28th international exhibition “Ką pasėsi…2024” invited the agricultural community and those who are interested in agriculture to come to the Academy of Agriculture to find out about the changes in agribusiness in one year‘s time. It was an excellent opportunity for participants to showcase a wide variety of novelties introduced in their field, to chat with colleagues, and to see first-hand the achievements of their partners and competitors. The visitors had an opportunity to choose from a wide range of products and services that best meet their needs. In the educational programme of the exhibition, researchers and practitioners shared their accumulated knowledge and experience. Traditionally, there was a fair of crafts and seedlings.

Among the numerous themes of the exhibition, dedicated to novel agricultural machinery, equipment, drones, construction, tools, plant protection products, seeds, etc., the theme represented by the National Paying Agency (NPA) was about  digital technologies for agriculture.

The NPA stand was very popular among the exhibition visitors. Among the visitors there were farmers, representatives of farmers’ associations, policy makers, representatives of academia, agricultural consultants, sellers of agricultural machinery and smart farming equipment, as well as sellers of agricultural land insurance.

The AgriDataValue project was of special interest among the NPA stand visitors due to the project‘s comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to address complex issues, including smart farming. Questions were asked about smart agriculture and the use of new technologies aiming to reduce farm operational costs and contribute to environmental goals. Lithuanian farmers are looking for opportunities to modernize the available technologies and increase the competitiveness of their farms. For that purpose, it is necessary to understand the operation of innovative technologies, to choose the necessary solutions and tools. The acquisition of new technologies requires a support mechanism that would accelerate modernization.

AgriDataValue, which comprises clusters devoted to arable crops, livestock, vegetables, trees and vineyards, climate mitigation, cross-sector, covers also a cluster on Common Agricultural Policy. It is about real-time input for pilot (satellite images, data sensors, weather forecast) and bringing forward modern crop monitoring technologies, such as: automatic pixel classification of satellite images, automatic processing of data received from in-situ sensors, weather forecast, in order to help the farmers to make faster and more efficient decisions in the distribution of inputs and treatment on their crops.

AgriDataValue, a pioneering initiative in Smart Farming, focuses on several multidisciplinary branches in the sector of agriculture, a fundamental one that embraces Agri-climate monitoring to comprehensively analyze the impacts of climate change on agricultural and livestock productions.

By harnessing the power of advanced technologies such as Big Data, IoT sensors, Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), and Federated deep machine learning (FDML), AgriDataValue aims to create a fully distributed Agri-Environment Data Space (ADS) as the platform of data platforms in the field.

AgriDataValue project hosted an online workshop, on the 27^th of March, related to the digital transformation of agriculture. More than 40 participants engaged in a dynamic discussions, exchanging ideas about the socioeconomic, technological, and political factors that affect the adoption of data-driven technologies in agriculture. The workshop began with an introduction to the project objectives and expected results before diving into the strategic significance of PESTLE Analysis in understanding external factors influencing digital technology adoption in smart agriculture. Through an interactive Miro board session, participants collaboratively generated inputs for each PESTLE segment: Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, and Environmental. These inputs were then strategically examined via SWOT analysis, fostering dynamic discussions and interactive learning experiences. The knowledge gained from the workshop will be further consolidated and expanded upon using literature, enriching our understanding and driving future agricultural innovation. Stay tuned for more collaborative initiatives driving innovation in agriculture!

Climate change is going to significantly influence both crop and livestock production, being a key challenge for the agricultural sector.

The new CAP 2023-2027 has taken into account climate change issues by raising environmental standards through some specific policy objectives:

• contributing to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration, as well as promoting sustainable energy
• efficient resource management: foster sustainable development and efficient management of natural resources such as water, soil and air, including by reducing chemical dependency.
• halting biodiversity loss: contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, enhance ecosystem services and preserve habitats and landscapes.

The CAP 2023-27 supports agriculture in making a much stronger contribution to the goals of the European Green Deal. It ensures that national CAP plans are in line with environmental and climate legislation and that beneficiaries of the CAP have their payments linked to a stronger set of mandatory requirements. Farmers are provided with stronger incentives for climate and environment-friendly farming practices and approaches and allocate more funds in measures to support climate, biodiversity, environment and animal welfare.

Overall, the new CAP supports farmers in their transition to a more sustainable agriculture, which should also include the capacity to cope with changing climatic conditions.

The Agridatavalue project aims to monitor the effects of climate change on agriculture since 1985 and elaborate future projections in order to help farmers to better adapt to climate change consequences.

Thanks to the development of climate change prediction models, farmers will be able to identify potential risks and challenges in order to adopt measures to limit negative effects on production.

Lithuanian farmers are on the brink of a digital revolution with the launch of the AgriDataValue platform, a groundbreaking initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program. This digital platform is specifically designed to empower farmers through advanced digital technologies, enabling them to harness the power of agricultural data like never before. The AgriDataValue platform will serve as an indispensable digital tool for addressing several critical areas:

Enhanced Digital Data Accessibility: A common hurdle for many farmers is the difficulty in accessing crucial agricultural data or the inability to effectively leverage such data. AgriDataValue will provide a digital gateway to a wealth of information, including real-time weather forecasts, comprehensive soil quality data, and detailed plant health insights, all accessible via a user-friendly digital interface.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging the latest in digital analytics, the platform will equip farmers with sophisticated tools to analyze vast amounts of data, enabling data-driven decision making for planting, fertilization, pest control, and more. This digital approach aims to optimize resource utilization, minimize operational costs, and maximize yields through precision farming techniques.

Digital Support for Sustainable Farming: In today’s world, sustainability is not just an environmental concern but a digital innovation challenge as well. AgriDataValue will foster sustainable farming practices through digital tools that offer insights for reducing chemical use and enhancing soil health, aligning with global sustainability goals.

Creating a Digital Farming Community: Beyond just a platform, AgriDataValue aims to cultivate a digital community among farmers, researchers, tech developers, and other stakeholders. This digital ecosystem will encourage the sharing of knowledge, digital tools, and best practices, enhancing the collective ability to address agricultural challenges.

The success of AgriDataValue hinges on its collaborative design process, involving farmers and agricultural organizations closely to ensure the digital platform meets their specific needs and expectations. Cutting-edge research and technology will underpin the platform, ensuring the use of the most up-to-date digital tools and data analytics techniques.

This initiative signifies a major leap towards the digitalization of Lithuanian agriculture, offering farmers the digital tools necessary for efficient, sustainable, and profitable farm management in the digital age.

AgriDataValue will conduct an insightful online workshop on Digital Transformation in Agriculture. Scheduled for March 27th, 2024, from 11:00 to 12:00 CET, this workshop aims to shed light on digital transformation in agriculture and the pivotal role of AgriDataValue. Participants will engage in dynamic discussions, exchanging ideas about the socioeconomic, technological, and political factors that affect the adoption of data-driven technologies in agriculture.

Reserve your spot by registering for the workshop here.    

The Association of Organic Farming Operators – “BIO Romania”, is a non-governmental and apolitical Romanian legal entity, dialogue partner of the state authorities, with competences in ecological agriculture that works for the sustainable development of agriculture and the Romanian rural space, for education, informing and raising consumer awareness of the benefits of organic farming for both human health and the health of nature, by promoting excellence in the field of organic farming.

The purpose of the Association is the area of excellence in the field of organic agriculture in order to promote competitiveness in this field and the sustainable development of the rural environment, as well as the harmonization, representation and defense of the interests of operators in organic agriculture, both nationally and internationally. In the long term, the Association’s goal is to develop its own standard of ecological production recognized at national and international level.

In the AgriData Value project, the incorporation of advanced technologies such as weather stations and IoT sensors marks a significant leap forward. These devices will be deployed in the field to collect comprehensive data on weather patterns and soil conditions, enabling precise adjustments to farming practices. Insights from this real-time data can lead to informed decision-making, optimization of resource use, and further advances in sustainable agriculture.

The Bio Romania pilot focuses on the development of agricultural procedures and practices to obtain a sustainable and healthy production generated by conventional agriculture in the Minimum Soil Work System and strip-till system. An analysis will be made between the classic tillage system and the two new systems, namely minimum tillage and strip-till in conventional agriculture.

BIO ROMANIA, agreed to be a partner in this project because BIO farmers mostly use advanced technologies in Agriculture and protect Natural resources and Biodiversity, and the AgriData Value project will allow us to provide information and technologies, software, to help them get higher BIO harvests with lower energy, water, fertilizer resources, so lower costs, higher productions and conservation of Natural resources and Biodiversity!

Emiliana West Rom is a member of the BIO Romania association and was selected for the project because it has 3000 ha of BIO certification and uses advanced technologies for the grain crops it produces.

For this, a collaboration was established with Emiliana West Rom S.R.L.. Investment by an Italian businessman who works successfully in the field of processing vegetable fats, a man passionate about agriculture and convinced that agriculture can be done at the highest level in Romania , Emiliana West Rom S.R.L. was established in 2000 in Timiș County and operates in the Dudeștii-Vechi – Valcani – Teremia Mare area. Emiliana West Rom S.R.L. managed in a very short time to give more economic potential to the area in which it operates, at the same time dynamizing the labor market.

The massive capital investment results in an ultra-modern firm. Emiliana West Rom SRL benefits from state-of-the-art technical equipment, as well as a GPS system for tracking the production process. The company also owns a modern storage base with a capacity of 90,000 tons, of which 40,000 tons are in vertical cells.

Regarding the land, Emiliana West Rom SRL works a total area of approximately 12,000 hectares distributed in the territories of the localities: Dudeștii Vechi, Valcani, Beba Veche and Teremia Mare.

The nature of the land, distributed in 4 municipalities and within a radius of 30 km, varies considerably, from the clay soil in the “Cociohat” area (the municipality of Dudești Vechi), to the medium and sandy soil in the Valcani area.

All soil types have a high content of organic material (on average 3-4%), resulting in high soil fertility in the area. The different nature of soils plays an important role in crop diversification. In this regard, the Cociohat land is more suitable for autumn-winter cereals and sunflowers, while the soil of the Valcani area can include corn, beets, soybeans and, in the future, onion and potato crops.

Using the sensors located on the plots considered in the project, it will be possible to make a more precise estimate of the critical periods for the plants and it will be possible to act in this sense to obtain sustainable productions from an economic and qualitative point of view. The identification of the critical periods of development for plants, in order to obtain sustainable productions, taking into account the technologies of working on the surface as well as the reduction of the amounts of water used and the costs of operation represents an important perspective considering a better management of water and of the resources involved in the production process, and the reduction of equipment operating costs and therefore the improvement of soil quality indices in order to preserve it for future generations.

It is also aimed at reducing the amount of water used, as well as the operating costs involved in achieving sustainable productions, taking into account the environment and the increasingly competitive and difficult to satisfy economic and social conditions.

First, the measurements made with the two Meteobot Mini weather stations and the Meteobot Nitro chlorophyll reading sensor will be followed Information on the moments when it is urgently necessary to act with irrigation works to reduce the costs and resources involved in the production process (moisture , temperature, pests, etc.).

The plots involved in the project are surrounded on the four sides by irrigation/drainage channels.

BF 1566 plot 1469a – 15.43 ha (classic works)

BF 1569 plot 1470a – 15.33 ha (minimum soil works)