Digitisation - applying, evaluating and communicating - experimental fields as cooperation between family-run arable farms and practical educational institutions (Diabek)
Digital methods offer many opportunities to increase the economic efficiency of farms, break up labour peaks and reduce the negative impacts of land management on the environment. Implementation is rather sluggish, especially on farms with less agricultural land than in the rest of Germany. In the Diabek project, the causes for the restrained use are to be investigated and farms are to be supported and advised in their implementation. The experience gained will be used to develop concepts for further education and training. In addition, the investigation of the impact of digital methods on the environment and the development of a communication concept play a central role.
Project approach 'Diabek
The demands on agriculture are increasing significantly in Central Europe in the areas of securing yields, efficient use of resources and environmental impact. In addition to the effects of climate change, societal demands on crop and livestock production must also be taken into account. At farm level, structural change and the lack of qualified employees have an aggravating effect on production conditions. The range of digital tools and methods for optimising management has increased massively in recent years, with a simultaneous decrease in the necessary investment costs. Many tools are even available free of charge. Despite the significant improvement in the objective technical and economic conditions for entry into precision farming, it remains the case that farms in small-structured areas (e.g. Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg) are reluctant to use digital systems.
The Diabek project addresses the concerns found in practice with regard to digital tools and pursues the goal of ascertaining these in a structured manner and, together with farm management, developing solutions for a step-by-step implementation of site-specific management approaches. Particular attention is paid to the consistent use of existing farm equipment. The concrete goals are the identification and evaluation of technical and plant cultivation challenges on the part of the farm management as well as targeted training to build up their own decision-making and action competence. In addition, the project is investigating the potential of digital solutions for improvements in the area of environmental and resource protection. The focus here is on increasing resource efficiency, reducing emissions and residues, and establishing new cultivation systems (controlled traffic farming, cultivation of fields, planting of flowering strips in the field). Furthermore, the project will examine how digital systems can make agricultural production more transparent and how active communication about current developments can increase social acceptance of agriculture.
Aims of the project
- Development of approaches to increase the use of digital technologies on farms.
- Evaluating digital solutions with regard to environmental and resource protection and increasing social acceptance of modern agricultural cultivation systems.
- Development of approaches for knowledge transfer and continuous training in agricultural practice.
Selected work packages
- Implementation of digital solutions in selected practical enterprises
- Evaluation of the digital methods used
- Assessment of digital solutions with regard to environmental protection and resource conservation in selected practical farms
- Consumer survey and communication concepts
- Development and implementation of trainings and workshops for farmers
1st meeting of all project partners involved in 'Diabek'.
The project 'Diabek' recently started with a kick-off event at the Triesdorf campus of the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, more information can be found here ...
Internet and Social Media Presence of 'Diabek'
Establishment of digital testing and experimentation fields in agriculture by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL)
On farms throughout Germany, digital test and experimental fields are to be set up to investigate how digital technologies can be optimally used to protect the environment, increase animal welfare and biodiversity, but above all to make farmers' work easier. These fields will also be contact points for interested practitioners and serve the transfer of knowledge and information into and out of practice. As one of the first six experimental fields on farms and in rural areas, the BMEL is funding the HSWT project 'Diabek' - short for "Digitisation - apply, evaluate and communicate" at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT). On 17 October 2019, Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner handed over the funding notification to project leader Prof. Dr Patrick Noack from the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition. The project, which will run for more than three years, is funded with a sum of more than 1.2 million euros and is being worked on at the Biomass Institute at the Triesdorf campus of the HSWT.
Publications
External project participation
Partners
Adressierte SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)
