The managing body “Consorzio Toscana Nord” (CTN), a public entity located in Tuscany, Italy, manages river basins and hydraulic works in amountainous area of about 360.000 hectares.There, land abandonment and the occurrence of extreme events in the last years, such as floods and landslides, are impacting negatively.In order to better address the situation, CTN has introduced several digital tools (e.g., instant messaging and WebGIS) to facilitate communication with citizens in the area to receive intervention requests. Such requests, mainly via instant messaging, could be rather high in number in some periods of the year, and the IT personnel, in limited number, may struggle to keep up.In the context of the DESIRA project, a digital tool - in the form of a chatbot - has been co-developed to support the management of such requests. The key objective was to partially automate the process, from citizens’ reporting to the implementation of appropriate intervention measures.A chatbot is a familiar and easy-to-use tool, based on Telegram in our case. It has the potential for reducing the operators’ workload: by automating the management of simple tasks, such as requests for information/interventions, technicians can address other tasks and intervene only if the chatbot cannot meet users’ needs. The service can be used at any time and with immediate response.Through the chatbot, the local community can better participate in the process of land management using an e-governance tool for improved exchange of information. It aims at supporting maintenanceactivities to reduce hydrogeological risks, thus it has been welcomed by all the actors in the area.

The DigiCroft was developed with generic crofting communities in mind, although the community associated with the DESIRA Scottish LL based in the North West of Scotland a peninsula in Wester Ross were key actors.In this area of Scotland small-scale ‘crofts’ are the prevalent form of agricultural land holdings, these are registered with the Scottish CroftingCommission, a government body, with associated regulations on their use and maintenance. There are also people that own their own land who are not registered crofters they are smallholders without the need to comply but equally with restricted access to opportunities. The crofting areas areconcentrated in remote, upland locations which typically impacts production and commercial viability. The remote nature of the crofts makes it difficult to access inputs and market products, training or employment options. Accessing information regarding training opportunities can be challenging for Crofters and smallholders located in remote location and often time poor due to their pluriactive lifestyle. Using gamification techniques the DigiCroft will bring together information from training providers using signposting to direct viewers to external websites and giving equal access to all. The digital tool can be accessed without need for registration and without associated costs. DigiCroft uses gaming technology to create a simulated interactive crofting township. The environment has been developed to represent a generic crofting landscape where the land is poor, remote, the grazing is rough, few fences are used and trees are sparse or limited to planted woodland areas. Viewers are able to locate signposts to available resources by navigating the environment using standard gaming keys and a mouse. To provide quick navigation (and further entertainment) the site quad bike can be used.

To strengthen forest biodiversity, the Austrian start- up BeetleForTech is providing ways to seamlessly trace single pieces of roundwood throughout the world. The solution developed in-house is based on mobile devices for tagging freshly logged trees on-site, dedicated scanning devices at the wood processing facilities, GNSS technology for the registration of the geolocation of trees, satellite data for verification and cloud infrastructure for centralized storage of relevant information to allow querying for data. Transmission of data is based on mobile (cellular) technologies.To provide global traceability of roundwood that strengthens forest ecosystem resilience, the involvement of loggers, traders and processors is needed. Tagging (task 1), is carried out by the loggers on-site and allows to identify single trunks of roundwood. At the wood processing facility, after the arrival of the individual logged trees, the previously attached tag is automatically registered using a digital scanning technology; a process known as Registration (task 2). Additional information, e.g., the transport route provided by the operators and traders, is linked to each registered tree automatically within the system; this phase is referred to as Combination (task 3). Finally, the Verification (task 4) asses the legality and origin of a single piece of roundwood by performing a query of the database of the cloud infrastructure.Forests and their importance in the global carbon cycle, as well as deforestation-free supply chains, are now being actively debated. A system of global roundwood traceability could play a key role infighting illegal logging activities. The positive impact would be a decrease in the loss of biodiversity resulting in a more sustainable future for society. A lack of financing or support, as well as the high costs of system development and maintenance, are significant roadblocks to worldwide roundwood traceability systems.

Vegepolys Valley is a French vegetal cluster localised in the regions of Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Centre Val de Loire and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, dedicated to the competitiveness of the vegetal sector. Due to the diversity of the vegetal sector, we focused on its horticultural branch in order to deepen understanding of the digital impacts. Its focal question is how can the digital transition allow companies in the French horticultural sector to remain competitive on the international market? It is declined into two sub-questions regarding the supply chain challenges. The first concerns the upstream side of the value chain: how can digital technology enable horticultural companies to increase their productivity and reduce costs, while reducing their environmental impact? The second concerns the downstream side of the value chain: how can digital technology enable horticultural companies to have a better knowledge of the offer, to better appreciate the market and the real needs of end consumers, but also to diversify the sales methods?

In the livestock farming sector in Flanders there are several issues to be addressed. The focal question of the LL is: "What is the impact of emissions monitoring in the intensive livestock sector based on individual farms for agriculture, policy and society?"
The livestock sector is anticipating regulation to curtail the emissions of ammonia from livestock farms, which is expected to have a large impact on livestock farms and farmers. The livestock sector is suffering from poor economic performance, which leads stakeholders to ask for dependable regulatory frameworks that allows to farm and asking for fair prices. 
The social-cyber-physical system can be represented as social actors such as consumers, retail, governments and farmers that have influence on another as well as on physical infrastructures such as emissions, environment & nature and digital infrastructure in rural areas. This is connected to a slowly developing cyber element consisting of sensors & data sharing tools for livestock farms as well as e-government services. 
The livestock sector is slowly digitalising and presents a mix of digital and analogue elements. Currently, sensor technologies to monitor airborne emissions are in development. However, they are not yet ready for market. Stakeholders are mainly concerned with the ownership of data collected in farming, and its potential misuse.There is a need to ensure that farmers own the data produced on their farms. Regulatory complexity and the readiness of government actors to adopt digital technologies in agricultural regulation are named as a concern by ag-tech companies. This is also vital in relation to e-government services and the further development of digital technologies for agri-environmental governance.

Betzdorf-Gebhardshain, where the Rhineland-Palatinate Living Lab (LL) is located, is confronted with typical challenges for many rural areas in Germany: rural exodus, lacking job opportunities, adequate provision of services and more. 
Local administrations are central actors in overcoming these challenges and grasp the potential opportunities of digitalisation. With the law establishing the Online Access Act in Germany, they are called to offer their services digitally via administrative portals by the end of 2022. 
Besides the external challenge posed by this legal act, local administrations must also face internal challenges, such as mobilising resources (budget, skills) or designing effective solutions (adaptability, interoperability). 
The focal question is how can local administrations cope with the internal and external challenges of digitalisation, and what are the main impacts on the local actors involved in this process?. 
DESIRA analysed the main needs and impacts of digitalisation identified by the LL Rhineland-Palatinate. Main positive effects of digitalisation are faster services, higher convenience, and more interactions and flexibility, which are already experienced by end users. Thus, accessibility to digital services can make local administration more effective.
Negative effects refer to the reduction of personal contacts with local administrators and higher risks of discords, as well as to the unequal distribution of the advantages of digital tools and services across all target groups due to age, affinity, socio-economic status and digital connectivity.

Area4rural is a EU project co-funded by the Erasmus programme to promote the use of augmented reality (AR) in rural tourism. It exploits a platform that brings together business associations and training institutions, with the aim of involving students and professionals in the dissemination of digital culture in this context. The aim is to enhance tourists’ and visitors’ experiences.
The project involves several participants. There are associations of enterprises representing the rural tourism sector and associations of entities operating in the digital learning sector. The consortium also includes a rural business school and two institutions specializing in augmented reality: an ICT developer and a higher education entity. 
The project uses a rich web platform (reports and documents on digital tools and rural tourism), educational contents, and an e-learning section for online courses. There is also a mobile application with interactive AR-based content that can be updated and enriched by students and operators involved in the project. 
The main added value of this system is the use of an integrated approach: promotion of digital technologies, and training for operators in rural tourism. Moreover, the project is oriented toward a specific group of people: the actors involved in rural tourism. This makes it a reference point for the provision of information for people who share the same interests. The information is very detailed and it allows users to learn the principles linking opportunities offered by digital technology (with particular attention to AR) to rural tourism.

Integreat is a smartphone app that provides important local information from public administrations of a municipality to newly arrived immigrants. The platform was originally developed in the context of the “migration crisis” in 2015 for German public administrations, but in recent years Integreat has been making its way to other European countries. With the app, local public authorities and administration can provide information in multiple languages to break down language barriers. Thus, Integreat helps to ease communication between the local public administration and newcomers from various cultural and language backgrounds. Furthermore, Integreat is designed independent of the migration context and offers support to overseas professionals, as well as to refugees and asylum seekers. 
Integration can be a complex process associated with various challenges. The obvious ones are language and cultural barriers. Apart from that, Integreat also offers practical services such as information on registration issues outside the public administration’s opening hours. Hence, Integreat is highly adaptable to local needs.
Another reason why this app was created is to help to address the shortage of skilled workers in some companies. Integreat provides a platform to search for new staff, but also for interested workers to find a job. New immigrants can get easier access to the labour market through the information related to “Work and apprenticeship training”. A further benefit of the app is providing addresses or opening hours, which may change frequently. Instead of re-issuing brochures following such changes, information can be updated easily in the app. 
The mobile guide is offline and in an open source that works on cell phones and Pcs.ç

DorfFunk (VillageRadio) is a smartphone application intended to serve as a rural area’s communication centre. The app features various functionalities around the principle of enabling communicative exchange among local and village communities.
The mobile application holds up to seven channels, offering various forms of interaction within a local area: “Gossip” allows for everyday talk with public text messages and pictures on local issues, observations or questions. The channels “Seek” and “Offer” resemble a local market square and are intended for the non-commercial exchange of goods and services. Various “groups” can be requested and facilitate public as well as private spaces for communication on special topics, while “Tell us” opens up a direct link to the local administration. In addition, the two channels “News” and “Events” offer the latest information on what is going on locally as well as regionally. Users can post comments on all these channels and contact each other through private messages. 
DorfFunk was developed in the context of the project “Digitale Dörfer” (Digital Villages) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, by the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE. It enables digital communication and local interaction in given rural communities, to support identification with the region and a local sense of belonging. It aims to support aspects of rural life such as neighbourly help and networks of mutual exchange. Furthermore, it offers a platform that brings together various actors who are vital for rural life – citizens, clubs and associations, members of church congregations, volunteers, public administration and local policymakers.

Climate change is a challenge that significantly impacts the functioning of forest ecosystems and the services they provide. The complex nature of climate change increases the uncertainty in predicting future forest ecosystem dynamics and requires an adaptive management approach. Forest managers need monitoring and analysis tools to assess the condition of forest resources and their capacity to supply ecosystem services. 
Geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing are useful tools to quantify sustainable forest management (SFM) indicators to support local decisions. SFM is widely recognised as a key objective of forestry policy and practices. 
The FRESh LIFE – Demonstrating Remote Sensing Integration in Sustainable Forest Management (LIFE14 ENV/IT/000414) project demonstrated innovative methods to integrate forest inventory data collected in the field with remote sensing information, to estimate selected SFM indicators at local scale. Within the project, high-resolution data were collected at three sites in central Italy using drones equipped with light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and optical sensors. Automated and semi-automated mapping methods were then used to spatially characterise the variables used to assess forest physiognomy and conditions at the scale of the forest management unit.

TRACE is a project that aims to foster tree monitoring technologies for forest resources to support climate adaptation and mitigation through enhanced forest management and certification practices. 
The project implements a small-scale monitoring network to trial the use of innovative Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to continuously monitor tree growth and health. There is a strong connection between tree ecosystems and climate. Climate change impacts on a forest’s ability to absorb carbon, and on biodiversity and habitat degradation.
The TreeTalker tool collects reliable data that informs forest owners’ management decisions and the forest certification process. The outcome is an improved resilience of fragile ecosystems. 
TreeTalker is an innovative and low-cost device that is attached to selected trees within the forest. Sensors in the device measure various eco-physiological/biological parameters, such as water transport within the tree, water content of the stem, diameter growth, and the quality/quantity of the tree foliage.

WAZIUP Fish Farming MVP is an output from the WAZIUP project, an EU-Africa project developing Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. WAZIUP adopts a do-it-yourself approach and provides a number of IoT and hardware components, accompanied by their respective tutorials. This helps local communities create low-cost solutions to problems they face in their daily activities.
The fish farming Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is developed to measure the water quality of fish ponds. It consist of a product with a minimum of features designed to cover the basic needs of the end-users, and aimed at gathering valuable feedback from early adopters that can be used for future product development. The Fish Farming MVP of WAZIUP incorporates core features defined at the early stages of the project and is formed of a buoy device that allows users to measure pond water quality in real-time. Currently, Fish Farming MVP is being piloted in 7 fish ponds in four different African countries. 
The measures taken by the device are temperature, dissolved oxygen, and the acidity of the water. The device is capable of giving real-time readings about relevant information for fish ponds and communicate this data via LoRa. The device is powered by a solar panel with a battery.
By utilising the WAZIUP Fish Farming MVP, users are able to manage their fish farm input, farming schedule and regular tasks, manage costs and output product, and have access to a visualisation template with customisable options accompanied by advanced analytic applications. Finally, the tool provides the option for additional development of the user’s own applications and information panels according to their needs.

Soil Quality Mobile Application (SQAPP) is an interactive tool designed inside the remit of the EU Horizon 2020-funded ISQAPER project. It aims at offering an easy-to-use tool that brings global soil data into the decision-making sphere of land users and other interested individuals. This application is being developed, tested and validated by scientists, practitioners, farmers, policymakers and agricultural service providers. It will provide an innovative soil quality assessment method for different pedo-climatic zones, integrating soil science with agricultural and land management practices. The soil quality indicators used are being modified and tested by farmers for farmers in Europe and China. The application can be tailored to provide farmers and other decision makers with science-based, easy-to-apply and cost-effective solutions. 
Finally, through the use of SQAPP it is intended to upscale the results gathered, to examine the consequences of widespread implementation of land management practices and provide recommendations for integrating and promoting soil quality and sustainable land management into policy. In addition to the detailed research results, a number of key messages are provided for a range of stakeholders including farmers, advisors, policymakers and researchers.

Farm Machine Interoperability is an application developed under the Internet of Food and Farm 2020 (IoF2020) project, funded through Horizon 2020. It strives to facilitate efficient machine-to-machine communication and data sharing between farm equipment and management information systems. Moreover, its design will stimulate future developments in agricultural machinery communication. In particular, it will enable further progress in communication standards between vehicles and platform for seamless data transfer, and for cross-communication between various models and brands of farming machinery.
In this sense, Farm Machine Interoperability contributes to the development of precision agriculture, by making information transfer easier and by helping farmers to access more data services and ultimately harness their potential. Furthermore, this smart application contributes to the overall sustainability of farming activity, since the improved use of machinery decreases energy consumption and enables the more efficient use of resources. 
More specifically, Farm Machine Interoperability aims to implement real-time communications between farming management information systems (FMIS) cloud solutions and equipment manufacturers, test harvest logistics applications compliant with interoperable solutions, and share technical solutions with the standards development organisations for agricultural machinery.
The platform works by applying communication standards, such as ADAPT and NGSI-LD, for effective offline and cloud communication between farm and machine, and vice versa. Unified data models facilitate easy data transfer and conversion. Service providers can add value to data based on a single API.

INNOSETA (Innovative Spraying Equipment Training Advising) is a project funded by Horizon 2020, which has developed a freely accessible repository of innovative spraying technology, training material, projects and papers tailored to the needs of the spraying community. 
This project supports the transfer of knowledge to practice in the field of application and management of phytosanitary products and, thus, improve the efficiency of agriculture.
The lack of functional Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), as well as innovation platforms regarding spraying technologies, results in gaps known to the actors concerned, but not currently bridged. In the research framework of INNOSETA, extension and advisory services play an intermediate role in negotiating with other actors to create a relevant AKIS network. 
More specifically the project’s approach includes:
i) Creating an inventory of spraying equipment and technologies, training materials and advisory tools from available research results and commercial applications
ii) Assessing the SETA (Spraying Equipment Training and Advising) end-users’ needs and interests, and identifying factors influencing adaptation, while also taking into account regional specificities 
iii) Facilitating interactive multi-actor collaborations, specially international network of researchers and farmers
iv) Creating an on-line platform for the assessment of SETA materials and allow crowdsourcing of grassroots-level ideas and needs. 

The XAG Company was founded in 2007, to research, develop and implement agricultural technology. It is today one of the world’s leading manufacturers of unmanned aerial system. It has established partnerships with many influential international enterprises to provide farmers with the best local solutions, ranging from plant protection and crop monitoring to farm management. 
Combining smart agriculture solutions, integrating drones, artificial intelligence and cloud, XAG creates and provides solutions that are tailored to every user’s personal needs: 1) XMission works for 3D mapping, 2) XStation provides digital field maps and 3D models, 3) XAI cloud and edge recognises boundaries, obstacles, plant location, disease, and 4) XPlanet provides agricultural drones for the optimum smart agriculture solution. 
XPlanet agricultural UAS is the latest drone designed and marketed by XAG. It is crafted in an independent way, to carry out the operations previously programmed by the farmer. 
Based on data captured from RGB/MultiSpectrum Camera and the recognition result from XAG AI engine, the mobile application Prescription Map will be automatically generated to guide XAG XPlanet for spraying or spreading. XAG has introduced its technology into rural areas, where it has already empowered 6.37 million farmers with smart agriculture solutions.

Treemetrics is a software company founded in 2005 to develop a new technology to replace traditional forestry methods with a more sustainable, innovative and dynamic one. 
The Forest HQ technology facilitates interventions in three domains through three modules: manage, measure, and harvest. By using satellite technology, mobile application and artificial intelligence (AI) to store data collected in a unique platform and provide advices for a more precise and efficient forestry management, it optimises the value of wood production and improves the preservation of the environment and natural resources. 
The Irish state forestry company, Coillte, as an example, approached Treemetrics six years ago to develop harvest monitoring solutions which would help to overcome their difficulties of timber production. Treemetrics provided them with extensive training and support for all staff and developed a solution to integrate Forest HQ with their existing software and systems. The harvest module has helped Coillte to improve harvest monitoring efficiency by over 30%, reduce losses, help driver performance and improve their safety, and automate some tasks. With the same objective, Treemetrics has also worked with the Irish Farmers’ Association, the Forestry Company, and the Romanian timber harvesting company Silvador.

Biomass Atlas is an open service that collects location data about biomass under a single user interface. The online service promotes the use of renewable resources. The informational problems are usually the reason why firms do not adopt circular systems. In practice, it is very difficult to find out who could offer the right kind of renewable materials with volumes that are sufficient for commercial use. 
The map user interface is easy to use and allows users to see, analyse and report on biomass from forestry, agriculture, and biodegradable waste from rural communities and industry. There are approximately 300 map layers of different biomass types or land use categories in the map user interface. 
Making the classifications and updating the data following prescribed rules is not easy. The one-stop service makes the processing and analysis of data easier. 
The Biomass Atlas service enables users to calculate the amount of biomass in a given geographical area, as well as examining the opportunities to utilise the biomass and restrictions on its use. The information can be used for planning, to invest in a new production plant that can use biomass as an input. Users can also look for new raw materials (like wood, bark, sawdust, dry twigs) for an existing processing plant that now uses peat.
The service is developed by the Natural Resources Institute Finland together with the Finnish Environment Institute, Tapio, the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Vaasa, and with funding from the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Intelligent biomass analyser (IBA) can quickly determine the key characteristics of biomass. This will allow the sorting of biomasses, for example, into quality groups or types, and the determination of moisture content. By using the electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique, it is possible to obtain information from a relevant volume of biomass, and not only from its surface (as near infrared/infrared (NIR/IR) techniques do). The IBA product is still a prototype, but it has many promising applications relating to renewable resources.
By combining EIS technique with a robot and artificial intelligence (AI), the process will be both quicker and more accurate. An automated sampling solution replaces time-consuming and expensive manual laboratory work. Digitalised quality data serves the supply chain in real-time. 
In forestry, EIS probes are usually installed in the moving stream of wood chips. The IBA process helps to control logistics and storage. If the wood chips are of high quality, they are used in pulp and by the paper industry. If there is a lot of bark, the chips still produce heat and power. 
Fast testing and analysing helps to overcome the information market failures that hinder the sustainable transition into a circular bio-economy. 
Continuous development of the IBA system is an example of a good working university-industry link. 
EU DG-Regio supports IBA, as the development project is part of a High Impact Action programme (EU In My Region). East and North Finland (ENF) encourages RDI actors and firms to cooperate trans-regionally. The integrated ENF area increases knowledge cooperation between partner regions but ENF can also distort knowledge trade due to its borders.

The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to track pigs’ feeding behaviour is a tool that shows promise in linking feeding information with the health and welfare of animals in intensive pig farming facilities. The ICT tool is still in the prototype development stage in Belgium. Similar tools have been developed for other livestock, such as Connecterra for dairy cows. 
The use of RFID tags in monitoring allows collected data on the feeding behaviour of individual pigs to be used to track changes and detect health problems like lameness or an infection. The analysis of parameters, such as number and the duration of feedings, and a sudden change in behaviour, can be a symptom of an underlying health issue. For herd health, it is also important to track diseases or environment-related issues at an early stage.
In the case of the pig consuming less feed, this can also lead to reduced productivity. The system will help farmers to run the most efficient pig farm and to diagnose issues and find solutions.
Since pig farmers in Flanders often manage large herds (>1 500 pigs on average) it is becoming more difficult to track the health of individual pigs. For this reason, the use of this type of tool is gaining in importance.

The CAPSAT initiative aims to provide the farmer with a tool for sending data to the government using geotagged pictures. This tool, proposed by the Flemish government and currently under development, is meant to help controlling support of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Presently, the controls represent a heavy administrative burden on both farmers and governments. Ideally, the CAPSAT tool is intended to support the compliance to the CAP objectives. 
This is achieved through a smartphone application where farmers can send evidence of their conformity to CAP. Geotagged pictures at farm level can be uploaded by farmers as evidence of compliance to EU regulations linked to CAP. The benefit for the public administration is a reduced need for auditors in the field. At the same time, the tool is also intended to show an augmented visualisation of the farmers’ fields, displaying the CAP requirements to the farmer. This allows the farmer to visualize the complex regulation, reducing the learning curve for farmers in following this regulation. 
Challenges remain in ensuring that the system works correctly, and privacy can be an issue. It might also be seen as an increase in government control of farmers. 

FarmCafe is a tool in use since 2015 which aims to provide an online platform for farmers to connect with other farmers, advisors and experts, so they can develop ideas together.
This digital platform provides inspiration to professional farmers in Flanders and provides the space to post questions, read articles and develop business ideas and innovative plans. The goal of this platform is to develop new digital ways for farmers to receive information and support from a team of experts, which allows farmers to gain a clear view of their agricultural businesses. Farmers can turn to this community to find information on the challenges of today and tomorrow facing agriculture, such as new regulations, farm succession, and economic and technological developments. 
With the decrease in the farming population in Belgium, coupled to the challenges in farm succession, there is a demand for online services like FarmCafe. At the same time, there are cuts to advisory services resulting in less time available for traditional advisory work. Here, FarmCafe is a useful tool in support of the more traditional services of agricultural advice. Recently, the Covid-19 lockdowns and reduced in-person meetings have also shown the importance of new (digital) forms of communication, between farmers and advisors. Tools like FarmCafe can support this move towards digital forms of advice

The iFarming system developed by Fancom is a tool or management system used worldwide. In Belgium several farmers are using (parts of) this system to manage their farms in new ways and improve their farm management. 
iFarming is developed with a focus on intensive livestock production, such as poultry or pigs. The Ifarming tools is used to automate barn management, such as ventilation, feeding and herd management, integrating them into one farm management system. 
This enables farmers to increase productivity, while improving housing conditions.
With the increasing number of intensive livestock operations, coupled to societal demands on sustainability and pollution, it is increasingly important to reach maximum efficiency in livestock farming. Systems like iFarming, allow farmers to reach these goals more consistently with a reduction in labour demand, while potentially also reducing costs. The technology is developed with intensive livestock farming in mind. This means larger and more intensive operations will likely benefit the most from this technology. 
 

SatAgro is a system that was developed by a Polish start-up with EU funds in 2015. This innovative technology processes and integrates satellite data used in farming to monitor the state of crops and individual fields. The system sends data in an easy-to-understand format that helps to increase agricultural efficiency and helps to reduce a farm’s environmental footprint.
SatAgro makes use of satellite imagery from NASA, the European Space Agency and private satellite operators. A desktop application allows farmers to monitor productivity of cultivated land and analyse historical data (including meteorological data and indices, soil maps and vegetation maps) on an ongoing basis. 
The SatAgro system offers different services, such as crop monitoring, event and treatment logging, alarms when variable values are exceeded, data export to other applications, historical data from previous seasons through maps, geolocation, weather forecasts, soil sampling support, and consulting to help users interpret data and optimise crop yields and production inputs.
With the Android SatAgro app, users can monitor crops’ development in near real-time, observe the effects of weather events and agronomic treatments, and use historical data to improve decision-making. It allows optimised agrochemical (fertiliser and plant protection products) doses, which also minimises environmental impact. Custom-built variable-rate prescription maps enable farmers to sow, fertilise and spray with unprecedented precision. Automated alarms warn about sudden changes in crop condition and weather. T

Lesnik+ is a newly-developed forest management software application, based on the Android system, which enhances timber recording in forestry management practices. Implemented by State Forests in Poland in September 2019, as part of a strategic project on mobile technologies, it replaced the former "Leśnik" based on Windows Mobile.
Basing the new application on the Android system made it possible to switch it to smartphones, to fulfil the application’s full potential. Leśnik+ is a big and integrated system of five, formerly separate, applications used by State Forests in Poland. The greatest benefits are related to the new data transfer functionality and the map module, which enable better communication, data coordination and management within the Information System of State Forests in Poland (SILP).
The application supports forest professionals by providing an overview of forest areas, in performing the necessary documentation, and in planning forest cultivation. Leśnik+ offers a field mapping service, general inventory management, and a full timber turnover documentation function. All data can be conveniently recorded from the office or from the forest. 
Over each year, mobile forestry devices record a turnover of over 40 million m3 of wood with a value of approximately EUR 2 billion, which proves the importance of mobile technologies in Polish forestry.

APOLLON is a software platform that implements and deploys new methods and innovation tools for environmental quality monitoring, with particular reference to air quality. Through a sensor network installed on the ground, APOLLON also assesses acoustic pollution and ultraviolet radiation (UV rays). 

The approach consists of the distribution of a capillary low-cost network sensor, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to provide forecasts, and the involvement of both citizens and institutions.

The platform handles multiple and heterogeneous data sources available in the territory, using semantic technologies, IoT, big data, weather and atmospheric forecasting models, and geographic information. Implementing all these data sources together gives the model the capacity to compute final data aggregations at a very high resolution, much higher than existing satellite models. Data sources are represented by:

• Fixed and mobile sensors data stream (IoT sensors for environmental monitoring, placed on public transport or in fixed control units)
• Weather and Atmospheric forecasting models (e.g. WRF weather model and CAMS model by ECMWF)
• Mobile devices (GPRS data, smartphone data, noise data)
• Open Data (data related to environment monitoring provided by public institutions, like public transport remote control, traffic, public transport routes and data from no-vehicle streets)
• Social Media Feeds (users’ interactions).

A visual dashboard displays simple and easy-to-use maps, graphs and textual reports. The tool will help citizens and institutions to increase their awareness and make better decisions.

#DONESIDOMA is a virtual marketplace that connects agricultural producers, family farms, companies and customers. 
The online platform has been established to help the local economy, but also citizens to more easily access food produced by local farmers in the context of COVID-19.
Given the new situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with restrictions on certain activities and movements, citizens are limited in performing daily activities, including buying food. To provide a solution, the City of Rovinj (Croatia) together with the farm association Agrorovinj launched an online platform to connect producers of food and other products with end-customers in the city of Rovinj called "Tastes of the field - I sapori dei campi”.
The virtual marketplace allows an easier and quicker view of the current offer of agricultural products in the area, and enables customers to get to know the farms that offer local home-made products. It represents an opportunity to establish direct contact with producers, and to purchase seasonal agricultural foods, olive oils, wines and other products, and in a very simple way to get fresh and healthy food.
Entering data on offers on the platform is free for producers, and the method of buying and paying for products is the responsibility of sellers and customers.

OSIPPPIT is a free web application that aims to help farmers use digital tools to sell locally-produced products to a large number of consumers in the area of Istria County, Croatia. 
The application is an online market and an interactive map. The users are small farmers, members of farm associations, and consumers of agricultural products: households, restaurants, educational centres, hospitals, tourist establishments and other public institutions. 
The application enables buyers to search for home-made products and locate them on a map. The buyer can browse the product offer in four different ways: by product group, product type, keyword or production area/location. The producers can present their products, increase their visibility, and help consumers make online orders by choosing delivery and payment methods. The app also provides direct online communication between the farmer and the consumer, along with destination guidelines for tourists. 
The platform was developed through the project "Organisation of the system of direct sales of agricultural products using Internet technology" (OSIPPPIT) financed by the operational Programme Slovenia-Croatia 2007-2013 under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The partners were the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism of Porec, the City of Vodnjan, the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Maribor, the Science and Research Centre of Koper, farm associations and the private sector (ICT Company).

Relations between dairy producers and processors have been one of the problematic areas in the dairy sector. The major factors causing discontent are the price, the quantity and the quality of the milk. In this context, one of the largest milk processors in Latvia, Food Union, has developed an interactive digital platform for dairy farmers “Smart Dairy Farmer”. The platform is aimed at supporting the farmers supplying the processor with milk and with data of their milk suppliers that could be used to support on-farm decision making, increase traceability of milk and to improve the transparency of the farmers-processors relations.
The platform allows a farmer to monitor several farms’ performance indicators at any selected time-frame. Firstly, it provides a farmer with a way to monitor the sale price for the milk they have supplied and to compare this indicator with global average milk prices. It also provides data regarding the quality of the milk sold (such as protein content, milk fat and other macronutrients). The Food Union refreshes the data used in the platform two to three times a month. Thus, although it is not entirely real-time monitoring, it still provides a clear illustration of the dairy trade dynamics allowing farmers to plan their resources more effectively.
The tool is developed using Microsoft Power BI analytics platform, which is available for free to iOS and Android users. It is available to the suppliers of the processor.

BeeKing is a digital note-taking and work planning mobile application aimed at improving the efficiency of apiary management for beekeepers. The tool allows the recording of a beekeeper’s observations and actions at the apiary, with the help of voice recognition technology on a smartphone and near-field communication (NFC) sensors attached to hives. The users can consult and organise the registered data, and interact with other beekeepers on the internet support platform.
The tool helps beekeepers improve their work efficiency. It enables more accurate and systematised monitoring of apiaries, as it substitutes for manual note-taking which can be time-consuming, inconvenient and incomplete. This digital beekeeping assistant records the status of colonies and queen bees, keeps notes on Varroa mite treatments, records the amount of collected honey and pollen, and other information.
Therefore, it also serves as a decision-making support tool: the beekeepers can learn from their observations and make better-informed decisions on the basis of a more thorough and systematic overview of the situation and interventions made in their apiaries. 
The forum for beekeepers’ networking aims to facilitate their knowledge exchange, mutual learning and co-working.

CowVision is an online application platform that provides an overview of a cow farmer’s business and opportunities for improvement. CowVision is the successor to the Comru desktop package. 
The CowVision platform comprises five applications (all designed by Agrovision) that work together to provide a detailed overview of a users’ cow farm. These applications look at five elements: (1) animal management (pedigree, offspring, inseminations, milk production figures, links with system of the government, dairy companies, animal health service), (2) feed (rations and feed calculations/doses), (3) minerals (phosphate monitor and government regulations), (4) soil and crops (fertilization production and plan) and (5) financial aspects of the business (current balance per kilo of milk, drawing up a liquidity budget and submitting the VAT return). 
The integration of data from these five applications allows consultants to provide targeted advice to users looking to improve their efficiency or quality. While the integrated applications allow a farmer clear insight into their business, the five applications can be purchased individually. Therefore, if a farmer only wants insight on feed calculation, they will purchase the Optifeed app rather than the entire CowVision suite. However, that means that some functionality is lost without the integration of other data points. This encourages users of an individual application to transfer all their data to one platform if they want comprehensive insights.

PHYTOPHTHORA LITE is a software application used in the Netherlands that takes users’ local and regional weather and makes predictions about the chance of a given crop becoming infected with phytophthora. The application provides information for both treated and untreated crops. Predictions on the chance of infection are rated as ‘low’, ‘medium’, or ‘high’ and are shown for a period of 3 days: the day before, the present day, and the following day.
This information allows users to predict when the best time to water, treat or harvest their crops may be in order to prevent or reduce phytophthora infection. This information allows for better decision-making, which could potentially lead to a reduction in plant protection treatments and improve the efficiency of use of farming resources like water, providing improved plant health for both the crop and the surrounding environment. This would also lead to a significant reduction in economic costs related to the purchase of plant protection products and the costs associated with personnel, machinery and equipment.

SPARTER is a selective harvesting tool for white asparagus. Selective harvesting means picking that part of the crop which is sufficiently large or ripe without harvesting (or damaging) those plants which are not ripe enough or too small, so that these can be picked at a later time.
Finding sufficient workers to harvest the asparagus is still the biggest challenge facing asparagus growers. The goal of this tool is to reduce the need for manual labour and increase the quality of harvested white asparagus. 
The tool uses an underground detection method to determine when a crop is ready and to harvest accordingly. This method of underground detection can reduce harvesting costs by 50%. It also improves crop yields, making them both more predictable over time and more profitable, by targeting fertilisation and irrigation.
 

The GreenMonitor (GroenMonitor) is a satellite monitoring system that generates a “green index” in the form of a number between 0 and 1. This number indicates how much biomass is present in a given area. Tracking the development of biomass provides an overall picture of the progression of a growing season, as well as the influence of weather, pests, plant diseases and human activity on the land area. 
The website for the GreenMonitor does not provide data analysis or specific recommendations to users. Rather, it gives users data (green indices) that can be used in a multitude of ways to inform actions and responses. While this lack of a specific data product may be confusing for some, it also allows for flexible implementation that could be combined with other technologies to act as a digital game changer. It is easy to see how this product could be useful for farmers to better infer when to plant which crops and where, for insurance companies to calculate the damage done by a disease or pest, and for conservationists to monitor development of green spaces in a nature area.

Agricolus is a Decision Support System (DSS) which collects, analyses and interprets data from forecast models, crop scouting and remote sensing. It provides farmers with information to help prevent and fight the main diseases of olives, tobacco, vineyards, vine, corn and other crops. This DSS pursues various objectives: 1) prevent plant disease, 2) support decisions on the distribution of sanitary products, and 3) gather and compare data related to productivity, treatments and infections of fields and crops. 

Agricolus is a cloud platform accessible from both web and mobile devices. It operates as a monitoring tool providing meteo-climatic data and innovative forecast models of the spread of phytopathologies on crops at plot and farm level. The forecast models provide precise information suggesting the best time to apply treatment and also on which specific part of the area. 
A combination of technologies collect data. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors gather data from soil and leaves and send information to the platform about specific parameters. For example, meteo-climatic sensors provide data on precipitations, humidity, wind direction and speed, and temperature. The weather forecast systems provide data on single fields. An advanced data storage and management system collects and archives data on possible presence of phytopathology. 
All those data are combined in provisional models to provide valuable information on the risk of plant disease in advance, to allow farmers to take decisions on what actions to undertake on their crops. The accuracy of the model and the specific localisation system enable a quick intervention in the field, leading to increased productivity and profitability

AgroPlatforma is the first Internet grain trading platform in Latvia, the Baltics and Europe. It has been developed in Latvia where, with its functionality and capabilities, it represents a new approach to working in the agricultural sector. 

On AgroPlatforma, deals in grain can be done faster, more profitably and efficiently with real-time information. The developers of this digital solution anticipate that the tool will increase the total turnover of the industry by up to 15%, as well as give a positive impetus to the industry as a whole.
The platform allows the agricultural sector to implement the opportunities provided by digital technologies both in the form of e-commerce tools, and in communication and digital socialisation. 

The price of grain, and the world price exchanges, determines the published price indices, which are used in determining the prices in grain transactions. AgroPlatforma represents a connection not only between the farmer and the grain buyer, but also with the stock exchange. The involvement of both sellers and buyers in transactions on this platform reduces the direct costs of grain procurement and increases the speed and efficiency of pricing processes. The transactions become more transparent, more reliable and thus more beneficial for both farmers and grain buyers. 

The solution complements official national statistics, as all transaction data are stored in databases.

Land Reclamation Cadastre is an up-to-date, systematic, digital unified information database of all land reclamation systems in the territory of Latvia. 

In Latvia, about 90% of agricultural land suffers from excessive moisture due to excessive precipitation. Water discharge and drainage systems for soil wetness regulation measures have been constructed on two-thirds of agricultural land. This includes 37 000 ha of flood-endangered land where Latvia’s polder system ensures the safety of people and the conditions necessary for economic activities. Water management systems also ensure the safe exploitation and maintenance of other infrastructures vital to the national economy, such as roads, railways and airports.

The Cadastre database shows the status of each amelioration system and the information that is registered there. The system contains textual and spatial data on the improved systems built so far on agricultural land. Regarding drainage systems in state forest lands, it is currently being supplemented. In contrast, there is almost no information archived regarding private forest and state road ditches. The information system is managed by the State limited liability company “Real Properties of the Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Latvia” (ZMNĪ). 

ZWIT project proposes the Smart Management Network as a tool to build Smart Villages and transit to the green and digital economy. The Smart Management Network creates an innovative framework focused on sustainable territorial development, with a business model based on connectivity and the smart management of infrastructures.
The ZWIT project integrates technology in street lighting infrastructure that allows a more efficient use of public services. Its Smart Management Network is a double-layer network, with a Wi-Fi backbone, to provide high-bandwidth services, such as Wi-Fi zones with free internet access in public spaces in rural areas. The Wi-Fi network is connected to sectoral data sub-networks dedicated to the efficient management of public infrastructures such as lighting, water, waste, etc. The Wi-Fi backbone forms a kind of "ring" that covers the entire municipal territory, and accesses the internet through a single municipal access point. This network allows the implementation of specific projects around it that can attract further investments, in relation for instance to video assistance for the elderly, smart nature trails, or a better management of public services (light, water, waste, etc.).

Lormes is a village (1 300 residents) located in the Morvan area, in the county of Nièvre, Burgundy (France). It is a good example of a digital transformation pathway for small villages, and the timescale and steps that are required to become a ‘player’ in a wider digital ecosystem.
Lormes began its digital and social journey with a groundbreaking district-level digital policy to foster the economic and social potential that ICT and the internet could bring to remote rural areas. This was followed by investments in the digital capacities of the population in 2003. With enhanced digital capacities, the creation of a ‘Rural Hub’ enabled Lormes to maximise the potential of local skills by providing office spaces, Fab-Lab, fibre-optic connection, etc. The success of the Rural Hub triggered other complementary initiatives, such as the enhancement of the broadband network in the village, and the creation of a ‘competence centre’ for the business, public and community sectors to deliver training and mediation services on behalf of the county and regional government. Several ICT projects, companies and services emerged in the territory as a result of these initiatives. 
Every village is at a different point in their digital transformation path, but they can all get inspired by the process carried out in Lormes. Digitalisation at village level goes beyond the technology deployed, it also relies on the support provided to achieve digital and social transformation.

Apadrina un olivo (Sponsor an olive tree) is an initiative that arises from a local NGO’s in a rural area of Aragon (Spain), which consists in allowing people to sponsor a centennial olive tree, through a donation of 50€. The mobile application “My olive tree” allows the small donor to follow the tree’s evolution and to be in contact with the farmer.
The technologies used in the project, the website and the mobile application, have been fundamental to achieve the implementation of the project and the large repercussion in the media and social media.
The website provides the project’s information; sustainable tourism options based on olive trees and includes fundraising functionalities for individual sponsorship or for companies following CSR model.
The free app “My olive tree” allows monitoring the sponsored olive tree. Each olive tree is labelled with a QR code. Every time farmers perform some work in the olive tree, they can scan the code and the sponsor receives a notification on their mobile device with the corresponding image. The updates sent directly by the farmer can be shared with friends.
The app has a “Town section” where the small donor can learn more about the needs of the area, see in photos the farm where the olive tree is and write direct messages to the farmer. It is possible to sponsor new trees from the application itself.

The Rural Era (La Era Rural) is a support network for youth entrepreneurship and leadership in the rural areas of Aragon, Spain.
The initiative is based on an online platform that offers virtual services to businesses run by young people, as well as face-to-face actions to support and boost entrepreneurship and innovation. 
The interactive website’s key function is to help promote and connect the initiatives and businesses created by young people from the rural areas of Aragon. In addition, through this digital space, the initiative organises activities to enhance the capacities and skills of young entrepreneurs through networking and collaboration. In particular, the platform includes a membership area featuring a repository of information and opportunities, free e-learning and training, access to advice and support, and further assistance for the implementation of ideas and projects. The project includes a mobile application that notifies users of each publication and facilitates the uploading of information without the need for a computer.
This initiative is supported through a collaboration of 13 LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) within the framework of a greater territorial initiative called ‘Jovenes Dinamizadores Rurales’ that has been active now for more than nine years. By August 2020, the platform will feature more than 100 initiatives and 10 co-working spaces. The implementation of this digital technology has enabled a supportive community and ecosystem to be built for young entrepreneurs that is boosting dynamism, revitalising rural areas both socially and economically, and providing them with access to several services.

Tesselo is a system that enhances satellite imagery through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and sectorial expertise. The aim is to tackle environmental challenges by exploiting real-time and country-wide mapping solutions in different fields, such as forestry and agriculture. 
For instance, tree species can be classified in a forest, growth rates can be predicted, risks of forest fires estimated, crop harvests can be monitored, and pests detected.
Through advanced monitoring capabilities, adequate responses to different challenges can be developed, and damage estimation can be performed after a disaster. This can help in insurance and certification procedures, but also in improving compliance with regulations. 
The commercial service exploits satellite imagery to generate crystal-clear composite images with spatial layers covering the area of interest. Historical data can be provided up to 3 years in the past. Thus, changes can be measured, such as in land cover, tree species, infrastructure, and so on. Specialised layers of information are provided as well, able to classify and detect phenomena of interest, through the use of proprietary AI algorithms.

Silvismart is a cloud system able to store and analyse data collected from the field in forestry operations. Collected data can be of different types, such as those coming from machines, electronic submission procedures, performance data, available natural resources, environmental data, and so on. Thus, the dataflow is digitalised, and the forest owner is in control of his/her data. Data can be shared with other interested or involved actors.
The main rationale of such a system is to ease the management of daily operations in forestry. It will enable the collection of data into a central repository, its analysis, and the extraction of useful information for machine operators, forest owners, and forest managers. 
Analysed data can support productivity through advice on how to increase efficiency. The target is the wood supply chain, and contractors using Silvismart can link their machines with this cloud platform. Managers and owners can then be granted access, to see how and when the machines are operating, performance figures, size and distribution of trees and species in the area, personnel data, and environmental data. All this is organised into an interface showing: ‘My Fleet’, ‘My Operations’, ‘My Stand’ (forest), and ‘My Files & Access’. 
Silvismart has been developed within the TECH4EFFECT project and will be maintained by an international association once the project ends in October 2020.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are small, low-cost objects that can be attached to materials and products to identify and track them throughout their lifecycles. However, some surfaces, like rough wood, do not allow the use of classical adhesive tags. Thus specific solutions have been developed to allow easy and fast tagging of rough wood surfaces. Data from Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID tags can be collated using special trackers. 
Each tag contains unique information about the object it is attached to, such as timber or lumber, pallets, utility poles, and railroad ties. To read the tag, an RFID reader is required, and the tag must be close to the reader (typically less than one metre), but UHF tags with high reading range can be detected at larger distances (five to seven metres).
Being able to track assets with low-cost tags provides large advantages to companies transporting or delivering materials, allowing them to know the location of each item and to have a constantly up-dated inventory. By positioning RFID readers in strategic points in vehicles, depots, and so on, such a process can be automated, reducing the need for human labour.

Aldeas Abandonadas is a real estate agency that offers farms, houses, hotels and villages for sale or rent in rural areas in Spain. They have been in business since 1983, and now operate from an internet portal. 
As a result of rural depopulation many buildings, and even entire villages, are abandoned. At the same time, other people are attracted by the quality of life and environmental benefits of rural areas. The website leverages these opportunities by connecting people interested in moving to these areas and people interested in selling their properties. This opens a wide spectrum of possibilities for both potential buyers and sellers, and it increases the opportunities for the revitalisation of rural areas. 
The agency is specialised in the financial market, real estate and in the management of patrimonies, in villages, uninhabited towns, rural houses, and singular and unique buildings linked to farming and rural environments. These include mills, pazos (Galician rural houses), masías (Catalonian rural houses), mansions, castles, warehouses, manor houses, estates, palaces, hotels, and other properties in different rural locations in Spain.
The portal also offers different types of advanced professional services, both for buyers and sellers to facilitate the transactions and to make the whole process easier.

Once wildfires start, fast and accurate information is essential to minimise impacts. Wildfire Analyst is a registered software that provides advanced solutions for wildland fire management. The software provides real-time analysis of wildfire behaviour and simulates the spread of wildfires. Simulations are completed in seconds, to support real-time decision-making.
Wildfire Analyst software was specifically designed to support initial fire situations, giving the Fire Chief and Incident Commander the critical early intelligence needed to support resource allocation decision-making.
The software uses predefined weather scenarios, or current and forecasted weather obtained via web services, to model fire behaviour and provide outputs within seconds. This fast performance facilitates the use of outputs in real time and allows for constant adjustment based on field observations and deployment decisions by the incident team, improving the operational response of fire crews. 
 

CO2 Revolution is a Spanish company offering a revolutionary approach to reforest big land extensions. As opposed to traditional reforestation methods, based on planting single tree species, the company uses airborne drones to spread a combination of 'intelligent seeds' (iseeds) aiming to create complete ecosystems by planting a variety of trees and plants. These services might be used to reforest burnt land after a forest fire or by companies and institutions interested in reforestation to offset their carbon footprint. 
iseeds are composed of a biodegradable capsule that contains pre-germinated seeds, along with all the elements needed for their growth, including a combination of the different types of species that can create an ecosystem. The system uses advanced software and a navigation system to autonomously select the most suitable planting pattern in each piece of land.
The company can reforest large areas of land in a few hours at a significantly reduced cost (1/10 of the time and cost of planting with traditional methods), disseminate seeds in areas with difficult access, and regenerate complete ecosystems by combining different types of intelligent seeds in each area.

Forests are essential for life on Earth and a sustainable future. The “lungs of the Earth” mitigate climate change by acting as a carbon sink, provide the timber for products we use every day. However, forests are under pressure. There is a need for an up-to-date insight into the Earth’s forests, to improve decision making by forest industry, governments and agricultural organisations, to react to these threats in an early stage and to create and apply prevention policies.
On the ground, it is barely possible to get a full understanding of the richness of resources in a forest area or predict any potential risks to the health of plants and trees. Comprehensive, manual surveying and data collection in forested areas can take months, with considerable pressure on budgets and manpower.
20tree.ai uses a combination of artificial intelligence (AI), high-quality and high-resolution optical satellite imagery and radar data, and (cloud) computing power to generate forest intelligence. Using a type of AI called machine learning, algorithms are created that can “learn” from experience. For example, in the case of deforestation, the algorithm is fed with many cases of deforested areas, and it learns what deforestation looks like. In this way, the machine learning algorithm can detect deforestation patterns and predict high risk areas. It even makes it possible to detect patterns that cannot be spotted by humans yet. The global, daily availability of satellite data combined with AI and complex data poses a potent technology for understanding natural and human induced phenomena affecting forests

Poor timber quality can result in problems during the manufacture of wood products, having potential negative repercussions for both traders and importers. Similarly, due to current EU legislation on forest legality, if the timber’s origin is not ensured, imported timber can be retained, causing economic losses as well as financial penalties, and/or detention penalties for traders in some EU countries. 
Illegally logged and traded wood represents 19% of the total wood products imported into the EU. For this reason, the European Commission approved the European Timber Regulation (EUTR), which aims at combating this problem. It applies to all wood-related products commercialised in the EU, including internal production and imports. Nowadays, timber traceability methods mainly consist of documentary control that can be easily falsified, and more rarely slow and expensive laboratory wood analyses. 
A technological approach based on near infrared technology (NIR) is implemented in the NIRwood project. NIRwood aims at being an on-site system for the identification of origin and quality of wooden products, based on a NIR spectrometer analysis. NIR spectrometers can clearly identify physical, mechanical and chemical properties of wood, giving the possibility to recognise different tree species, identify the origin of woods,

Hoeing robots implement autonomous mechanical weed management in vegetable crops. They can 
assist vegetable producers by controlling weeds through hoeing and by monitoring vegetable crops through generating key indicators. Some of these indicators are relative to the presence of weeds and the density and stage of cultivation.
By weeding and hoeing, robots help to increase profitability while respecting the environment. Weed control by such robots reduces tedious farm work and can increase economic efficiency of vegetable production.
The data collected can be used as a decision-support tool. Some hoeing robots can issue a plot report synthesising a set of relevant data.
Hoeing robots have different options for changing weeding/hoeing tools so that they can be adapted to the specific needs of different operations.
They move using a system equipped with GPS guidance and camera. Some robots also include laser technology to scan the environment around the machine. They have an electric drive allowing for four to ten working hours, depending on the model. 
Hoeing robots can be fully monitored and operated via a smartphone or tablet, so that checks can be carried out continuously and important data can be recorded in real-time. Some robot models can communicate with the farmer via text messages.

Automated Milking Systems (AMS) are connected agricultural robots which can assist farmers in their daily work. AMS support the implementation of a fully autonomous milking process. In addition, these systems help to monitor milk quantity and quality, and most models track cows’ health.
The Milking Robots allow farmers to choose their preferred milking process and to define the timings. 
An AMS can reduce the workload of agricultural workers and increase management efficiency, whilst the monitoring dashboard can be used as a decision-support tool. In practice, the AMS generates key relevant data on the milking process and also on cows’ well-being in most recent models.
AMS uses a set of digital technologies, including cameras and sensors to guide, monitor and milk cows. The monitoring system helps optimise performance parameters during operation and, in some models, to detect early signs of mastitis (inflammation of breast tissue). Some models also allow, if desired, a service partner to access the automatic milking system remotely, for online diagnosis.

Cybermoor is a cooperative bringing innovative services to the local community of Alston Moor (Cumbria, United Kingdom) and the surrounding areas. It began with a community broadband project in 2003 to bring fast wired (fibre optic) broadband connectivity to the village of Alston Moor. The cooperative progressed to become a limited company providing an extended range of services to local communities (such as a community website) and went on to broaden their reach, for example in leading the development of community broadband initiatives further afield.
The mission of Cybermoor was to bring Internet connectivity to the rural community of Alston Moor and surrounding areas, which would provide residents with the tools they needed to support and grow their businesses, create new routes to employment and new jobs, and to access a range of services (educational, health, entertainment, etc.) which would bring positive social impacts. 
Ten years later a broad range of impacts were already in evidence, including those relating to access to healthcare services, education, rural business innovation and social cohesion in the village. First generation broadband has now been upgraded to a range of superfast broadband services available to local residents, and the reach of these services has expanded to more villages in the area. 
The development of community broadband in underserved rural areas brings a wide range of benefits. The case of Cybermoor shows that such initiatives can lead to job creation and economic growth, as well as social impacts ranging from healthcare accessibility to increased social cohesion at the local level.

Hands Free Hectare (HFH) was a project of precision farming led by researchers at Harper Adams University working alongside leading company Precision Decisions Ltd., which aimed to be the first in the world to use only drones and autonomous vehicles to grow and harvest a cereal crop over a hectare of land. Whereas previous projects had only automated part of this process, HFH sought the automation of the entire system using machines to grow the first arable crop remotely, without any humans stepping into the field. It demonstrated the field-to-fork food chain in operation.
The project partners succeeded in their aim of producing and harvesting a crop (barley) through entirely automated processes. They have gone on to plant and harvest a second crop, and the project has expanded into the ongoing Hands Free Farm, a 35-hectare farm which allows the HFH team to continue to develop and improve the technologies and outcomes. 
The technologies include connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) and drones. 
Implementing autonomous machines on the farm has the potential to be transformative for arable farms. Automation is touted as the future of farming for a number of reasons – reduced labour in rural areas, increased precision and production on the farm, decreased environmental impact and soil compaction through the use of a greater number of smaller and more precise machines. The use of automated vehicles and drones frees up time of existing staff on the farm, allowing them to turn their attention to managing data and fine tuning the automated processes. However, there is some concern that this could lead to lost jobs, and that the skills required to manage automated systems are not present in the sector, or hard to acquire.

The Ritchie Beef Monitoring Unit is a weighing crate that allows individual animal weights to be recorded automatically. This allows an average daily weight to be calculated for individual animals without handling the livestock, thereby reducing stress for both the livestock and handler. Cattle weights are recorded, along with their individual tag numbers (Electronic ID tags), each time they step into the crate to access water. The weight data for each animal is stored on the cloud. Average daily weights are calculated and made accessible for the stockman via the website or app. The use of solar panels to provide power for the unit further reduces costs and environmental impact. The unit is easy to install, relatively mobile and requires little maintenance. The website and app ensure the data is processed, so no training or new skills are required before the unit can be successfully operated. 
Average daily weights for cattle allow the stockman to monitor cattle weight gain and performance. The access to data allows constant remote monitoring of intensive livestock and therefore early detection of abnormal weight changes, indicative of potential husbandry issues including disease, nutrition and management issues. Early intervention can improve general health of livestock resulting in better economic returns. Average daily individual weights can be monitored to determine when individual animals are ready for slaughter, reducing feed inputs and ensuring optimal weights are achieved. 
Close monitoring of cattle weights can therefore result in achieving optimal standard weight for slaughter giving improved economic returns.

This tool monitors the electrical voltage in electrified fences for the containment of farm animals. A device is connected to the metal wire of the fence and the voltage values are transmitted (via integrated SIM card) from the instrument to an application on the farmer's smartphone that receives an alarm in case of anomalies (voltage change). It can be used where GSM coverage is present, and measures the voltage values, returns graphs, and alerts the farmer of the voltage drop. 
The added value of this digital technology is that the system immediately alerts the farmers about the problem. In this way, they can intervene much more quickly, preventing animals from escaping or predators coming into contact with the herd or flock. Economic and management efficiency is also improved, as the risk of problems related to the malfunctioning of the fence is reduced. Maintenance becomes easier, as the farmer does not have to waste time inspecting the fence every day looking for problems that may compromise its effectiveness.
The system is easy to use and costs about €200. The farmer is alerted in case of a low battery (the battery has an autonomy of approximately 2 months and the system works with a constant 220 V or 12 V power supply) and the monitoring is continuous. The alarm system has a cost of €5 per month (the first 12 months are already included in the purchase price).

Rural4Learning is a project promoted by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture that communicates rural development policy to young students. Through the involvement of enterprises that work sustainably and innovatively, the project aims to share successful experiences and transfer information on these issues to the next generations. A web platform allows registration and user participation, and hosts a database of case studies and companies involved.
The aim is to increase awareness of these issues through specific training. In this way, European agricultural policy is enhanced through the dissemination of values and results. This initiative is recognised as a school-work activity and therefore brings young students closer to the world of work. An important result is the strengthening of the link between school and university, territory, and enterprises. 
The main added value of this technology is that the online platform enables distance learning and reaches a high number of end-users (though several practical project activities take place in the enterprise). Moreover, the training does not only concern the students, but also the teachers, who can modify their lessons according to the sustainability footprint.

Main expected results:
(1) Development of an indicator-based method for the assessment of digitisation impacts that is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. The method will be elaborated using the principles of Responsible Research and Innovation, i.e. various societal actors (researchers, farmers, policy-makers, etc.) working together during the whole research process – in this case the elaboration of the assessment framework – to better align the process and outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of society.
(2) Strong network of public authorities, citizen groups, digital technology operators, farmers, rural businesses, and academics in 20 Living Labs working on decision-making regarding digitisation-related challenges and opportunities.
Main practical recommendations: 
(1) Improved capacity of rural communities to understand risks and opportunities related to digitisation. This will be accomplished through co-creating, disseminating and communicating 80 rural digitisation scenarios and by developing appropriate tools (e.g. Use Cases, Virtual Farm Platform).
(2) Enhanced capacity to use the opportunities offered by digitisation and to improve resilience to related threats. This will be done by identifying and assessing existing policy instruments, developing a Policy Roadmap, and elaborating an Ethical Code to guide private and public organisations in decision-making. 
(3) Establishment of an online interaction and learning platform ('Virtual Research Environment'). The platform will complement face-to-face interaction and boost the potential of participatory research. It will provide online tools for knowledge exchange as well as easy and open access to research findings.