Periodic Reporting for period 3 - DEMETER (Building an Interoperable, Data-Driven, Innovative and Sustainable European Agri-Food Sector)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-09-01 bis 2023-08-31
DEMETER puts farmers in control of knowledge, enabling them to move from the present situation in which they can be overwhelmed by the shear amount of data to one in which they benefit from the insights that data provides. The project addresses several challenges of which the most important is the interoperability and adoption of technological standards to ensure compatibility and to employ data exchange and communication standards that link the different systems together in a unified system covering all aspects of the agricultural exploitation.
Final Status Obj1 (Analysis/adoption of Information Models): The project has designed/implemented a common Agricultural Information Model (AIM) that builds on existing dominant/standardised data models and enables semantic interoperability/data exchange across systems, platforms and stakeholders. The project has undertaken extensive outreach work, through publications, workshops and presentations, promoting AIM to external audiences in numerous occasions during the project duration. The project has been actively working and progressed towards the standardisation of AIM via the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). It has been discussed within the OGC Agriculture Domain Working Group and other interested groups such as the OGC GeoSemantics DWG, leading to the establishment of the new Agriculture Information Model Standards Working Group.
Final Status Obj2 (Build knowledge exchange mechanisms): Beyond AIM, DEMETER also offers new enablers for data analytics and targeted knowledge extraction and has also enabled secure data and knowledge handling to address security concerns; these are enriched with privacy protection, confidentiality and traceability features. Also, several decision support enablers were developed for pilots/applications in DEMETER, which communicate using AIM. These are offered via a modular flexible architecture which enables service interoperability through a brokerage service environment (BSE) and via the Agricultural Interoperability Space (AIS) established coupled with CI/CD facilities and secure access. Additionally, the DEMETER Enabler Hub (DEH) supports the registration of DEMETER/external resources from different vendors making them available to the interested stakeholders.
Final Status Obj3 (Empower the farmer): Collaborative efforts across DEMETER helped identify stakeholder needs, including developing a comprehensive farm data model that facilitated real-time data collection and integration from various IoT devices, empowering farmers to make data-driven decisions. AIM enhanced data exchange within the ecosystem, prioritizing openness and avoiding vendor lock-in. WP5 enabled data exchanges, with notable success for example in optimizing fertilization and irrigation services through data sharing in Cluster 1 pilots. DEMETER also successfully fostered data sharing agreements between farmers and various stakeholders. These took diverse forms, from formal consents to software-based consent management systems. SOCS was introduced to promote collaboration, best practice sharing, and co-creation.
Final Status Obj 4 (Benchmarking): DEMETER has developed a benchmarking system on comparative performance of farms from three fronts: generic, neighbour and technology, and provision of an adaptive Visualisation Framework that will help the farmers in extracting and analysing the KPIs. The benchmarking tool enables end users to compare their farm results from various perspectives: comparison with the national average, comparison with neighbouring performance, comparison of their own performance before and after using a new technology.
Final Status Obj 5 (Optimise supplier solutions): This is addressed via the development of the SOCS platform, where KPIs that evaluate the effectiveness of the Multi-Actor Approach have been defined. To increase DEMETER impact, a balanced power model has been employed, where supply and demand requirements are taken into consideration. Approaches are selected based on their openness (at the level of data models, APIs, software licenses) so that companies of different sizes have more opportunities, avoiding vendor lock-in and enabling valuable innovation. Activities such as the communication strategy, the work on standards, and the definition of exploitation roots have all helped to make it easier for farmers/suppliers to collaborate and find solutions that meet the needs of farmers. The exploitation outputs include the development of a business model for the SOCS platform, and the support to transfer the core platform components to the operational platform of DNET.
Final Status Obj 6 (Demonstrate and validate): DEMETER demonstrated digital innovations’ cross-sector impact with a versatile platform, fostering sustainability and collaboration. DEMETER addressed this objective via the following:
1) Tailoring the DEMETER platform's value proposition for all agri-food stakeholders (demand and supply sides).
2) Partner agreement to register enablers in DEH, enriching the platform’s value proposition
3) Successful Europe-wide pilot deployment addressing a wide range of domains.The impact has been monitored by carefully defined KPIs.
4) Integration of platform components with DNET digitalfarming.eu portal ensures long-term engagement and growth for its ecosystem.
Final Status Obj2 (Build knowledge exchange mechanisms): Beyond AIM, DEMETER also offers new enablers for data analytics and targeted knowledge extraction and has also enabled secure data and knowledge handling to address security concerns; these are enriched with privacy protection, confidentiality and traceability features. Also, several decision support enablers were developed for pilots/applications in DEMETER, which communicate using AIM. These are offered via a modular flexible architecture which enables service interoperability through a brokerage service environment (BSE) and via the Agricultural Interoperability Space (AIS) established coupled with CI/CD facilities and secure access. Additionally, the DEMETER Enabler Hub (DEH) supports the registration of DEMETER/external resources from different vendors making them available to the interested stakeholders.
Final Status Obj3 (Empower the farmer): Collaborative efforts across DEMETER helped identify stakeholder needs, including developing a comprehensive farm data model that facilitated real-time data collection and integration from various IoT devices, empowering farmers to make data-driven decisions. AIM enhanced data exchange within the ecosystem, prioritizing openness and avoiding vendor lock-in. WP5 enabled data exchanges, with notable success for example in optimizing fertilization and irrigation services through data sharing in Cluster 1 pilots. DEMETER also successfully fostered data sharing agreements between farmers and various stakeholders. These took diverse forms, from formal consents to software-based consent management systems. SOCS was introduced to promote collaboration, best practice sharing, and co-creation.
Final Status Obj 4 (Benchmarking): DEMETER has developed a benchmarking system on comparative performance of farms from three fronts: generic, neighbour and technology, and provision of an adaptive Visualisation Framework that will help the farmers in extracting and analysing the KPIs. The benchmarking tool enables end users to compare their farm results from various perspectives: comparison with the national average, comparison with neighbouring performance, comparison of their own performance before and after using a new technology.
Final Status Obj 5 (Optimise supplier solutions): This is addressed via the development of the SOCS platform, where KPIs that evaluate the effectiveness of the Multi-Actor Approach have been defined. To increase DEMETER impact, a balanced power model has been employed, where supply and demand requirements are taken into consideration. Approaches are selected based on their openness (at the level of data models, APIs, software licenses) so that companies of different sizes have more opportunities, avoiding vendor lock-in and enabling valuable innovation. Activities such as the communication strategy, the work on standards, and the definition of exploitation roots have all helped to make it easier for farmers/suppliers to collaborate and find solutions that meet the needs of farmers. The exploitation outputs include the development of a business model for the SOCS platform, and the support to transfer the core platform components to the operational platform of DNET.
Final Status Obj 6 (Demonstrate and validate): DEMETER demonstrated digital innovations’ cross-sector impact with a versatile platform, fostering sustainability and collaboration. DEMETER addressed this objective via the following:
1) Tailoring the DEMETER platform's value proposition for all agri-food stakeholders (demand and supply sides).
2) Partner agreement to register enablers in DEH, enriching the platform’s value proposition
3) Successful Europe-wide pilot deployment addressing a wide range of domains.The impact has been monitored by carefully defined KPIs.
4) Integration of platform components with DNET digitalfarming.eu portal ensures long-term engagement and growth for its ecosystem.
The DEMETER project has achieved significant technological and business innovations with wide-ranging impacts. Technologically, DEMETER has excelled in providing rapid and adaptable solutions through DEMETER Enablers, fostering quick integration of new digital technologies across various sectors, including agriculture, livestock, and food supply chains. By bridging the gap between demand-side actors (pilots and farmers) and innovators (digital solution providers and advisors) DEMETER has demonstrated the capacity to address common agricultural challenges and adapt to a new economic and social paradigm emphasizing sustainability and adaptability. One of the standout technological contributions is the Agricultural Information Model (AIM), which promotes flexible and open standards, facilitating interoperability. AIM serves as a pioneering approach in creating a common information model for the agricultural technology ecosystem. It aligns with well-known agricultural ontologies and data models, making it a promising standard within the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Several ongoing initiatives, such as the Horizon Europe DIVINE project and the ILIAD project for oceanic digital twins, are leveraging AIM to promote data exchange and standard APIs, extending its applicability beyond agriculture.
DEMETER’s Stakeholder Open Collaboration Space (SOCS) fosters multi-actor collaboration and co-creation. SOCS is designed to support knowledge sharing, solution creation, and innovation within the rapidly growing agribusiness market. Beyond its immediate scope, DEMETER contributes to the development of emerging Agriculture Data Spaces, focusing on information exchange, reusable tools, methodologies, and standards adoption. DEMETER pilots organized farm events and walks to engage farmers and demonstrate the benefits of the technologies being implemented. The digitalfarming.eu portal serves as a hub for DEMETER outcomes and interactions with farmers, providing access to commercial versions of selected DEMETER enablers.To strengthen its impact, DEMETER has produced 179 innovations (120 prototypes, 59 testing activities).
DEMETER’s Stakeholder Open Collaboration Space (SOCS) fosters multi-actor collaboration and co-creation. SOCS is designed to support knowledge sharing, solution creation, and innovation within the rapidly growing agribusiness market. Beyond its immediate scope, DEMETER contributes to the development of emerging Agriculture Data Spaces, focusing on information exchange, reusable tools, methodologies, and standards adoption. DEMETER pilots organized farm events and walks to engage farmers and demonstrate the benefits of the technologies being implemented. The digitalfarming.eu portal serves as a hub for DEMETER outcomes and interactions with farmers, providing access to commercial versions of selected DEMETER enablers.To strengthen its impact, DEMETER has produced 179 innovations (120 prototypes, 59 testing activities).