Agriculture of the future-Smart sensors for the development of organic farming
The meeting of the partners of the IoF (Internet of Food & Farm) project has been organized in Prague last week where the SolarVibes project including ÖMKi was also presented.
The IoF project funded by the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme of the EU aims at spreading IoT technologies in agricultural practice. The IoT– that is Internet of Things – technology is hard to briefly define. It includes devices performing bidirectional communication with one or more other device(s) through the Internet while sending data and information to each other. For example, these data can be used to optimize the operation of another device.
Accordingly, IoF aims at facilitating data transfer among the devices leading to more sustainable and environmentally sound farming practices providing higher yields at the same time, and increasing the competitiveness of the European agricultural sector.
The SolarVibes project also uses devices based on such technology. Based on the sensed and processed data the SolarVibes software can develop site and crop specific cultivation recommendations, this way farmers can make their decisions on the optimal timing of sowing, nutrient supply or harvest with minimal risk. The hardware also includes a solar powered sensor measuring the pH value, the moisture content, the temperature and the macronutrient level of the soil.
Furthermore, the two innovative plant protection related analyser functions of the software help to reduce the use of chemicals to the absolutely necessary level, this way protecting our environment.
ÖMKi – being the only Hungarian project partner – plans to deploy about 500 sensors on the farmers’ fields during the 1.5 years long project. In addition, farmers joining the project will also have the opportunity to share their experience on the use of the sensor with each other during organized workshops.
Agricultural research is facing never seen challenges today. We need to find the most appropriate tools for the sustainable increase of agricultural production. This is why participation in this project is so important for ÖMKi, since conversion to organic farming requires much more than only applying the methods of our ancestors today. Innovative but also sustainable solutions tackling future food supply problems need to be found by adapting to the current challenges.
