Autonomous Greenhouses – smart micro farming and smart large-scale production – SmartAgriHubs

 

Grant Agreement 818182 pt.: „Autonomous Greenhouses – smart micro farming and smart large-scale production”

 

Project duration: 01.11.2018 – 31.10.2022
Akronim: SmartAgriHubs

Funded under: H2020-EU.3.2.1.3.
Overall budget: € 22 423 146,00
EU contribution: € 19 999 458,62

SmartAgriHubs is dedicated to accelerate the digital transformation of the European agri-food sector. It will consolidate, activate and extend the current ecosystem by building a network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) that will boost the uptake of digital solutions by the farming sector. This will be achieved by integrating technology and business support in a local one-stop-shop approach involving all regions and all relevant players in Europe.

The heart of the project is formed by 28 flagship innovation experiments demonstrating digital innovations in agriculture, facilitated by DIHs from 9 Regional Clusters including all European member states.

SmartAgriHubs uses a multi-actor approach based on a vast network of start-ups, SMEs, business and service providers, technology experts and end-users. End-users from the agri-food sector are at the heart of the project and the driving force of the digital transformation.

Led by the Wageningen University and Research (WUR), SAH consists of a pan-European consortium of over 160 Partners representing all EU Member States. SAH is part of Horizon2020 and is supported by the European Commission with a budget of €20 million

 

Objectives

Digital technologies enable a transformation into data-driven, intelligent, agile and autonomous farm operations, and are generally considered as a key to address the grand challenges for agriculture. Recent initiatives showed the eagerness of the sector to seize the opportunities offered by ICT and in particular data-oriented technologies. However, current available applications are still fragmented and mainly used by a small group of early adopters. Against this background, SmartAgriHubs (SAH) has the potential to be a real game changer in the adoption of digital solutions by the farming sector.

General goal is to enabling fully autonomous greenhouse cultivation for individual users and groups of users based on the implementation of AI and IoT components. The concept idea includes fully automated greenhouses for microgardening/microfarming for Smart Farming and Smart Cities implementation. Greenhouses will be computer-controlled: climatic conditions, robotic treatments will be carried out starting from soil preparation, sowing and weeding. Smart greenhouses will be equipped with a set of sensors allowing to monitor climatic conditions with high read accuracy. The system analyzing the data from the sensors will allow to adjust the conditions in greenhouses. An intelligent production support system prepared for the needs of greenhouses (individual and/or group), will predict yields at specific settings, help to indicate and eliminate production errors to maximize yield or reduce production costs at a given yield.

The project will use the experience of EU producers of greenhouse systems (ie. Arlen Team, Vitavia), sensor systems and measuring bases (Freedomgrow) and experience in the use of ERP systems in agriculture (DIH Agro Poland) and data processing and support of business models in agriculture. Łukasiewicz Research Network – Industrial Institute of Agricultural Engineering as a coordinator will assist producers in the preparation of the offer for end-users.

Results of the Project

Connecting the dots in Smart Farming is the mission of SmartAgriHubs. Against this background the main objective of the SmartAgriHubs project is to consolidate and foster a European wide network of Digital Innovation Hubs for Agriculture to enhance the Digital Transformation for Sustainable Farming and Food Production. During the first year, ideas have been developed about how to shape DIH concepts into concrete actions for development of a network and attracting new partners (Digital Innovation Hubs, Competence Centers, etc.).

The challenge is to fit all the puzzle pieces that are needed to build a network together: all the work in the project has to come together to reach the mission. The SmartAgriHubs Innovation Portal has been launched where the Digital Innovation Hubs and Competence Centres can register themselves and where they can exchange information. SmartAgriHubs is working on attracting and empowering the DIHs and CCs in providing several services, which process is strengthened by the Flagship Innovation Experiments.

The pilot will be tested in selected locations in Poland and Portugal/Spain, among the producers of peppers, tomatoes, soft fruits and/or flowers, including Smart Cities small producers. Pilotage will be run and supported by DIH Agro Poland and HUB4Agri.
The results of the experiment together with view the working system on pilot farms will be presented to producer groups and agricultural and gardening associations.

Project SmartAgriHubs Website: [ here ]

Summary of Hackaton’s Planet-ON’21 Smart & Green Industry: [ tutaj ]