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Welcome to the 3rd edition of our DEMETER newsletter.
Hope everyone is keeping well in these Covid times.
The theme of this newsletter is ‘Farmers First’ and understanding how DEMETER is empowering farmers by ensuring that technology solutions are optimal to the farmer’s existing context and expressed needs. Understanding farmers’ experiences with technology and within the DEMETER project is central to DEMETER’s success.
In this edition we:
- Share the results of our recent survey to DEMETER pilot farmers to better understand their needs, interests and concerns.
- Talk to farmers involved in the pilots to learn more about their experiences.
- Hear from the World Farmers' Organisation (WFO) to better understand the barriers and incentives to farmers’ adoption of digital technologies.
- Learn more about the DEMETER Multi-Actor Approach ensuring farmers’ needs are understood and met.
- Introduce the DEMETER Stakeholders Open Collaboration Space (SOCS) and how it will benefit farmers.
We also highlight some interesting events and publications.
If you’ve any questions or comments please get in touch with us on social media or email info@h2020-demeter.eu
Project Coordinator
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Work is ongoing on several of the DEMETER deliverables. All public deliverables are published on the website once approved. We have completed our 'Market and Business Analysis' which provides an initial market analysis and business opportunities for the creation of an ecosystem using a multi-actor approach. We are working on the Regulatory and Policy Framework Analysis and providing an interim report on our Communication, Dissemination and Standardisation activities.
The second release of the DEMETER reference architecture is due out shortly as is the final stakeholder requirements, pilots design, specification and planning.
Keep an eye on the project website www.h2020-demeter.eu for the most up to date news relating to the project. |
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Earlier this year we sent a survey to the farmers actively using hardware and software in the DEMETER pilots to better understand their needs, interests and concerns regarding the DEMETER project and in terms of the wider category of smart farming technologies. This survey was translated into the local language of the pilot farmers and shared with them via email.
Below we provide a snapshot of their thoughts and views. This will help DEMETER to determine what challenges must be more fully addressed and how to better engage with the farming community.
Find out more here. |
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DEMETER farmer interviews
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With many of the pilots now underway, we talk with various farmers working in Pilot 5.1 'Disease Prediction and Supply Chain Transparency for Orchards/Vineyards' to learn more about their experiences. This pilot focuses on complete farm management in vineyards and orchards, providing pest and disease management tools to optimise pesticide usage and increase crop quality. It is running in Serbia, Montenegro, Georgia and Slovenia.
First, we talk to Edvard from Georgia.
- Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your farm?
My name is Edvard Shermadini from village Ghvlevi, Kareli Municipality. I am managing the farm, where I grow apples in 17 hectares, cherries in 3 hectares, grapes in 2 hectares and strawberries in 2 hectares.
- How did you get involved in the DEMETER project?
I am involved in the DEMETER project through the Georgian Farmers’ Association
- What technology are you using as part of the DEMETER project?
I am using irrigation management, insect management, temperature, humidity and precipitation monitoring.
- What benefits have you achieved through using these technologies?
Based on received information and data from DEMETER I started to irrigate my orchards.
- With regard to technology on farm, what are your main concerns?
As I have been informed by the Georgian Farmers Association, the pheromone traps will be put in during the spring 2021 and I will be able to monitor codling moth, which was the main problem in my apple orchard in 2019. For me at this stage it is a little bit unclear how DEMETER can alert me concerning the apple diseases, like: apple scab, powdery mildew.
- What do you hope to achieve by participating in the DEMETER project?
I believe that digitalization of agriculture activities will help me to allocate my resources effectively and reduce production self-cost.
- What advice what you give to other farmers who are considering adopting technologies on their farm?
After running all services, I would recommend other farmers to use the DEMETER’s irrigation and pest management platforms to run the farming activity in a better way.
The interview is also available in Georgian here
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Milena Peruničić and Katarina Pavićević from ’13. jul Plantaže', one of the biggest and most important producers of grapes, wines and grape brandy in South Eastern Europe, talk to us about their experience in DEMETER.
English subtitles are available by clicking the closed captions.
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The incentives and barriers to farmers' adoption of digital technologies
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Ambra Raggi, Policy Officer at World Farmers’ Organisation
Farmers are called to feed the world while immense pressures weigh on them: a growing world population, the fight against climate change, the urbanization and the loss of agricultural soils are just some of the challenges farmers face. The recent outbreak of COVID-19 adds additional pressure on the farmers’ shoulders with the need to keep on activities under restrictive measures and threatened by the obstacles brought by the pandemic.
In this context and taking into consideration the broader spectrum of the food systems transformation, which is now one of the highest priorities of the international community, farmers-driven innovation is a key driver to improve production patterns and support farmers in the achievement of sustainability: economic, social and environmental.
In this view, the World Farmers’ Organisation, WFO, tirelessly advocates for innovation, based on the farmers-driven approach when it comes to innovating the agricultural sector.
Read more here
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The Multi Actor Approach in DEMETER - Meeting stakeholders' needs
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Anja Linnemann, Fraunhofer and Dave Hearne, TSSG
The multi-actor approach (MAA) ensures that projects, like DEMETER, focus on real needs and problems that an end-user (farmer, advisor, IT provider etc.) is facing. As we are building innovative solutions that address specific needs or problems, while involving the end-user in the process, the resulting product is highly adopted.
MAA also encourages stakeholder engagement from the beginning and throughout each project which means that there is collaboration from multiple partners, end-users, and other stakeholders. All of these differing views and opinions from multiple actors allows us to create a solution that is more readily applied and adopted once completed. All actors have a sense of ownership as they are involved throughout the process.
Read more here
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The DEMETER Stakeholder Open Collaboration Space
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Francesca Cantore, Researcher at Engineering Ingegneria Informatica Spa
The DEMETER Stakeholders Open Collaboration Space (SOCS) is an online platform dedicated to all stakeholders (farmers, advisors, and suppliers) where they can collaborate, share best practices and participate in co-creation processes. In this virtual environment providers and consumers of digital technologies are not just matching assets and needs, but they are collaborating together towards joint innovations.
Indeed, the SOCS aims to reverse the relationship with suppliers, through an innovative model in which suppliers are responsible for ensuring that a final solution is optimal to the farmer’s existing context and expressed needs. SOCS also provides a response to farmers who need to be supported when they have to choose between different solutions.
Read more here.
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IoF2020 Final Event
Registration for the final event of IoF2020 on 16-18th March is open. The event includes technical presentations, interactive sessions, an exhibition area as well as networking activities.
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IoT Week 2021
IoT Week 2021 takes place from 31 Aug - 3 Sept with the theme 'Next Generation IoT for a Sustainable Future'.
A smart agriculture track will run focusing on when tech meets and transforms farming.
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