The main objective of “Aggregate Farming in the Cloud“ was to provide a framework able to promote precision farming solutions by using not only new robotics platforms but also incorporating to the aforementioned framework the legacy systems already deployed in the farms.
Farming is facing many economic challenges in terms of productivity, cost-effectiveness and increasing labour shortage. Precision farming automation will increase farm productivity, reduce manual labour for laborious tasks and help to make farm holdings more sustainable. Many modern farmers already use high-tech solutions, e.g., digitally controlled farm implements and even unmanned aerial vehicles. However, current systems still have significant drawbacks, in terms of flexibility, efficiency, robustness, sustainability, high operator cost and capital investment. Furthermore, the reliable detection, accurate identification and proper quantification of pathogens and other factors affecting plant and animal health are critical for the monitoring and control to reduce costs to the economy, trade disruptions and sometimes even human health risks.
Thus, AFarCloud developed a framework providing services for optimising livestock management, growth and harvesting processes to lower vaccines, fertiliser and agrochemicals usage and improve soil quality, as well as to increase the cross-over between emerging generic advances in field robotics and the more specific, practical needs of the modern farming community which leads in reducing excessive human burden for laborious tasks aided. More specifically, the project demonstrated how new IoT technologies and in general mechatronic systems can cooperate in real-world farm scenarios to provide a common framework for the development of related applications, which can lead to more resource-efficient and environment-friendly agricultural production. Further, AFarCloud fostered a new business model based on direct interaction between customer and farmers, as well as provide input for the development of appropriate safety- and security standards.
Facts
- Project duration: September 2018 – August 2021
- Coordination: UPM (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid)
- Budget: 28,3 M€
- Funding: 8,7 M€ EU, 8,2 M€ national
- Partner (i.a.):
- Universidad Politécnia de Madrid (WP1 Leader - Project-Coordinator)
- Austrian Partners: AMS (Austria Microsystems), AVL List GmbH,AVL commercial driveline GmbH, TTControl GmbH, Vienna University of Technology
- WP Leaders: Fundación Tecnalia Research & Innovation (WP2 Leader), Mälardalens Högskola (WP3 Leader), MTECH Digital Solutions (WP4 Leader), RISE ACREO AB (WP5 Leader), SINTEF AS (WP6 Leader), INTRASOFT International SA (WP7 Leader), Gdansk University of Technology (WP8 Leader)
