Digital Future Farm

The digital twin (DT) is aimed at dairy farmers and arable farmers. Other users of the DT could be researchers. The core aspect of the twin is the harmonization of existing models, which collect data that are important to assess the fertility of the soil and/or the emissions of nitrogen that the farm produces. The DT allows farmers to get more information about these aspects, but also to anticipate consequences of diverse action strategies on the soil and on the nitrogen emissions, based on past data. This allows to make decisions based on better information.

Also, with the DT farmers can assess different scenarios and make an estimate what the possibilities are, for example: what might be the best moment for harvesting? The farmer can “ask” the DT about possible consequences but a DT can also give unsolicited advice. Examples are: when to mow or how much protein animal feed should have.

The data that a DT uses is partly public data like weather predictions and partly data that is measured on the farm and provided by the farmers. Data generated on farms can be sensitive but farmers can decide for themselves what happens with their data.

Adding the farmers data to the DT is needed to make sure that results are produced that are specific for their farm. The DT itself is generic, but by adding the farm’s data it is able to deliver information that is tailored to the farmers.