Objectives
To demonstrate and validate the benefits and practical application of digital farming to farmers, as a route to improve the sustainability of Scottish farms (Note, ‘sustainability’ here means economic, environmental and social sustainability). The aim is to install, test and monitor LoRaWAN base stations and a range of sensors on three typical Scottish farms. To demonstrate the benefits of the technology to farmers and the wider supply chain. The project will not be able to do any analysis of the data collected, and the intelligence of what it means, and how if influences a farmer’s decisions. That is beyond the scope of a short one-year project.
Objectives
To demonstrate and validate the benefits and practical application of digital farming to farmers, as a route to improve the sustainability of Scottish farms (Note, ‘sustainability’ here means economic, environmental and social sustainability). The aim is to install, test and monitor LoRaWAN base stations and a range of sensors on three typical Scottish farms. To demonstrate the benefits of the technology to farmers and the wider supply chain. The project will not be able to do any analysis of the data collected, and the intelligence of what it means, and how if influences a farmer’s decisions. That is beyond the scope of a short one-year project.
Activities
Main Project Activities
• Operational Group planning meeting
• Develop specific Action Plans for each Focus Farms
• Installation of LoRaWAN Bases stations on the 3 Focus Farms
• Identification, specification and installation of off-the-shelf sensors
• Monitoring and evaluation of the sensors and the data generated, with respect to the project objectives
• Supporting the host Focus Farmers to use the data derived to help their decision-making
• First Open Farmers’ Meetings
• Awareness raising & dissemination programme (video clips, press coverage, livestreaming, case studies, speaking 2 KT events)
• Follow-up Open Farmers’ Meetings
• Project evaluation and reporting
Activities
Main Project Activities
• Operational Group planning meeting
• Develop specific Action Plans for each Focus Farms
• Installation of LoRaWAN Bases stations on the 3 Focus Farms
• Identification, specification and installation of off-the-shelf sensors
• Monitoring and evaluation of the sensors and the data generated, with respect to the project objectives
• Supporting the host Focus Farmers to use the data derived to help their decision-making
• First Open Farmers’ Meetings
• Awareness raising & dissemination programme (video clips, press coverage, livestreaming, case studies, speaking 2 KT events)
• Follow-up Open Farmers’ Meetings
• Project evaluation and reporting
Context
Scottish agriculture faces a period of significant change and our industry must quickly and confidently adopt new technology to allow it to compete effectively in domestic and global markets. The project represents a critical step in demonstrating the power of readily adoptable and affordable agri-tech solutions to the industry and provide a low cost ‘on-ramp’ for farms of all sizes. The UK is behind other major agricultural economies in embracing the ‘internet of things’ (IoT) in agriculture, and risk being left further behind unless farmers and their associated supply chains understand the practical benefits to be gained from data driven farming and embrace these technologies. Fortunately, there is already a large variety of IoT sensors and devices available to purchase, negating the need to develop our own. The project’s focus is on the rapid deployment of existing tools – devices and analytics – to deliver accelerated uptake and benefits. Sensor technology will allow the creation of bespoke ‘farm specific’ solutions that can facilitate better business decision making, and also provide solutions to non-economic challenges facing the farming sector, including health and safety and environmental protection.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014UK06RDRP003 United Kingdom - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Scotland
Location
- Main geographical location
- Edinburgh, City of
€ 65610
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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Jim Booth
Project coordinator
Project partners
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Mags Grainger
Project partner
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Paul Lindop
Project partner
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Ross Lilley
Project partner