One of the central pillars of the 4Growth project is the collection of ground-truth data through a network of distributed observatories, providing detailed insights into the adoption and use of digital technologies at the grassroots level. Leveraging the Digital Agriculture & Forestry Uptake Grid, developed to ensure a consistent and unbiased approach, 4Growth will gather and analyse data across seven observatories throughout Europe. This data collection will explore key aspects such as how digital technologies are adopted, where and how they are utilised, the benefits experienced, and the barriers hindering their wider uptake.
As leader in one of the seven observatories in the 4Growth project, INTIA, a public company under the Department of Rural Development and Environment of the Government of Navarra, one of the seventeen autonomous regions in Spain is dedicated to fostering a living countryside and ensuring high-quality food production by supporting farmers, cooperatives, and other key players in the region.
The core of INTIA’s mission is to transfer knowledge and drive innovation within the agricultural community. Through its extensive advisory service, INTIA maintains daily contact with farmers, cooperatives, and other agricultural stakeholders. Advisors have individual and face-to-face meetings with farmers, visit the fields with them to settle any uncertainties and remain in permanent contact with cooperatives, farms, livestock farms and young individuals entering the sector. Since INTIA is a public company, it has no commercial interests and therefore provides totally impartial advice. This ongoing interaction enables INTIA to gather valuable ground-truth data directly from the source in Navarra, ensuring that the information is accurate and reflective of the current challenges and opportunities in the field.
Engagement and Data Gathering: A Community-Centric Approach
In addition, INTIA organises numerous training sessions, open days, workshops, and meetings with stakeholders within the agricultural sector. These events serve as vital platforms for gathering ground-truth data and engaging with the community and will further enrich the observatory’s insights into the region’s agricultural ecosystem.
By interviewing its diverse range of stakeholders, including livestock, horticulture[1], fruticulture, and arable crop producers, as well as managing directors and staff of cooperatives, and members of farmers’ associations in Navarra, INTIA will assess the use of digital technologies across the sector.
R&D and Digital Collaboration: Pioneering Technological Advancements
In addition to its work with farmers, INTIA has a robust experimentation and R&D department that is keenly aware of the rapidly changing technological landscape.
Recognising the importance of digital technologies in modern agriculture, INTIA will collaborate closely with the Agri-tech sector to gather data from technology suppliers, further enhancing its understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this area.
An example of the development of digital technologies is the early warning system created by INTIA aiming to keep the agricultural sector informed of pests and diseases appearing in the region, so that farmers can act quickly before crop damage starts to become significant. INTIA has developed a digital platform that provides warnings and recommendations thanks to the information collected in traps distributed along the region and data that advisors gather from the field. This application is available from computers and mobile phones (Image below).
Understanding Challenges and Developing a Vision for the Future
One significant challenge faced by the agricultural sector in Navarra, as in much of Europe, is the aging farmer population. The high average age of farmers is a key factor, though not the only one, that hinders the adoption of digital technologies. Through the 4Growth project, the level of digital technology adoption in the region will be analysed, identifying additional key factors and constraints that affect each stakeholder in the sector.
By understanding the needs and difficulties faced by local stakeholders, the 4Growth agricultural Observatory in Navarra seeks to support them in overcoming barriers and adopting digital solutions by connecting the agricultural sector with Agri-tech solution providers. The tools and data developed within the project like the Market Monitoring and Forecasting Tool and the Visualisation Platform will be valuable sources of information. With this in-depth analysis, the 4Growth project and the agricultural Observatory led by INTIA aim to develop a vision for addressing future challenges in the agricultural sector.
Cover image: Field after the harvest of summer in Navarra, Spain
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