Agrifirm Plant and Wageningen University &Research Centre launched FarmMaps

Fields contain a treasure of data. These data are registered and recorded by various partners, but rarely used actively by growers. The idea behind the launch of FarmMaps in February 2016 is to establish an independent and open platform on which companies can share data and applications that allow growers to obtain added value from their data and the innovations provided by knowledge institutes and supply companies.   

 

FarmMaps is an initiative of Wageningen UR and Agrifirm from Netherlands which combines precision agriculture and big data. It is an open and independent platform that allows data to become useful information when linked with other data and when scientific knowledge is applied. FarmMaps prevents the fragmentation of data and puts it at work. The applications on the platform help growers to make better choices and optimize the management on each plot.

 

FarmMaps is the first platform that brings all field information together in one central geo-platform. Its “cropping plan” application, based on geo-data, is the center of all functionalities with added value for operational management, such as fertilisation and crop protection.

 

Growers can manage their own data on the platform in a secure way. The data can be supplemented with input from, for example, satellites, soil sampling authorities,  supply chain parties, farm management systems, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and sensors. They can share this enriched information concerning fields and crops with consultants and other participants. Growers and contractors can then be set to work on practical VRA (variable rate application) task maps which optimize farm practices on each field. In addition to the basic applications such as cultivation plans, a variety of organizations will use FarmMaps to develop and provide very specific applications to growers and consultants. It provides the maps, tools, services and functions for the quick and easy development of new applications. This open and independent platform for Dutch and other growers should enable to gather forces and share tools and information. It provides the possibility to further expand the unique FarmMaps geo-platform developed in cooperation with third parties.