Knowledge about the technical situation and possibilities of the interested parties is the prerequisite for organizing data exchange, while connections are always made between specific software, machines and equipment. This innovation activity aims to contribute to planning and development of the comprehensive digitization of the supply chain of the agricultural and food industry.
On the other hand, agriculture is significantly related to mandatory communication with state bodies and organizations. In this project, we want to outline the possible ways of using data in the future, considering not only the B2B relationships, but also the two-way communication between entrepreneurs and state, in order to jointly find labour-free and legally sound data exchange solutions between the information systems of livestock farms and the state. An important future goal is to save time in currently labour-intensive activities related to reporting, both on the part of entrepreneurs and state institutions.
The activity is a prerequisite stage for the multilateral data exchange pilot project. The aims of the project are:
- Mapping of programs used in the supply chain of milk and dairy products (primary production, food industry, laboratories, logistics, wholesale and retail, data provision to the public sector, requests and controls) by different software types and purpose.
- Mapping of machines and devices that collect data and are integrated with software and related software platforms.
- Mapping the possibilities of existing digital solutions in companies and the need for new and additional solutions. Finding out the reasons for non-use of existing digital solutions in companies (e.g., in terms of reporting and analytics).
- Overview of animal data used in performance monitoring systems, general data exchange formats between agencies (Estonian Agricultural and Information Board (ARIB), Estonian Livestock Performance Monitoring Ltd. (EPJ), Estonian Agricultural and Food Board (PTA), programs (E-PRIA, Vissuke, etc.) and solutions both in Estonia and in neighboring countries (in Scandinavia). An overview is created about the developments concerning data integration and its certification in the framework of cooperation with the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR).
Project interim results:
- A significant amount of data is generated every day in dairy farms, most of it ends up in the EPJ program Vissuke, some also in the ARIB database.
- The possibilities for data exchange between different applications within one farm are improving, but the user support offered in Estonia is not at a good level.
- The potential to create value from digital data is currently largely untapped.
- The demand for information is rather increasing (the state, export partners, the next generation of local consumers), but if Estonian consumers already prefer Estonian products, it remains a challenge to create value and distinguish products via provision of additional information on product and production attributes.
- Information about production methods may be the key to selling to certain markets in the future.
Martin Kukk and Ants-Hannes Viira gave presentations on the project’s interim results at the conference “Digital transition in Estonian agriculture” organized by the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce on 11.11.2021
A longer overview of the project’s interim report as of 30.06.2022 can be found here (in Estonian). When you download it, please note that the summary here will be updated several times during the course of the project.
The innovation activity is carried out in cooperation with Estonian Dairy Cluster, Estonian University of Life Sciences and Estonian Livestock Performance Monitoring Ltd. under the leadership of Dr. Ants-Hannes Viira.