The agri-food sector is currently at a critical juncture. The challenges posed by climate change, resource scarcity, and increasingly stringent regulations, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), necessitate substantial adaptation efforts. However, the question remains: how can we navigate this intricate landscape effectively? The solution to this issue is threefold and is based on data, innovation, and strategic foresight, a vision embodied by projects such as Nostradamus.
The Nostradamus project, in essence, employs Earth Observation data, remote sensing, and sophisticated AI/Machine Learning algorithms. The programme aims to deliver actionable information for climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience across various sectors, including agriculture.
The German Agricultural Society (DLG) is pivotal in this groundbreaking EU initiative. The DLG’s active involvement in agriculture is evidenced by its participation in the International Crop Production Centre (IPZ) in Bernburg, Germany. This involvement is instrumental in the transformation of the agricultural sector through the implementation of data-driven decision-making methodologies. The IPZ’s distinctive function is to promote the implementation of pioneering agricultural solutions throughout Germany and Europe. This involves facilitating effective knowledge exchange and conducting direct validation and testing of technologies to ascertain their practical impact on farmers. The IPZ is dedicated to the refinement of tools that are to be implemented in agricultural systems. This refinement is achieved by contributing to real-world use cases, such as water management solutions within the TRANSFORM project. The result of this process is tools that are refined, scalable, and readily implementable in agricultural systems. This collaboration has been demonstrated to enhance policy engagement and market participation by utilising DLG’s Multi-Actor Platforms, thereby promoting data availability and digital inclusion for all stakeholders.
The critical inter-linkages: From satellite to sustainable supply chain
While Nostradamus focuses on a more extensive climate resilience mandate, its capabilities are indispensable for the specific challenges being addressed in the context of sustainable and circular development in the agri-food sector, particularly concerning SMEs embedded in global supply chains.
- Verifying compliance: The ‘Eyes in the Sky’ initiative helps agri-food SMEs comply with EU regulations such as the EUDR, which requires deforestation-free products. This requires verifiable land use data.
- The role of Nostradamus: Nostradamus’s proficiency in processing satellite imagery and Earth observation data furnishes the precise, scalable geospatial intelligence indispensable for verification. This facilitates the identification of deforestation, the monitoring of land use changes, and the tracking of agricultural expansion, all of which are critical for due diligence statements. This approach is analogous to the efforts observed in projects such as BioMonitor4CAP, which develops advanced biodiversity monitoring systems in Peru and elsewhere using analogous Earth observation-driven approaches. The utilisation of Nostradamus’s tools has the potential to furnish a valuable additional layer of spatial analysis, thereby validating compliance claims.
- Optimising circularity and resource efficiency: This initiative aims to facilitate the adoption of innovative circular economy solutions by SMEs, encompassing activities such as waste valorisation and optimised resource utilisation.
- The role of Nostradamus: Earth observation data can provide insights into resource use efficiency at scale. For instance, it can monitor water stress in European farms, assess the environmental benefits of agroforestry systems, or even identify biomass availability for valorisation. This data-driven understanding enables SMEs to make more informed decisions regarding resource allocation and circular process design.
- Building data resilience for climate resilience: A fundamental principle underpinning our work is the notion of data resilience, which involves establishing networks comprising trusted service providers. These networks aim to ensure the uninterrupted provision of data services to SMEs, even in the face of disruptions. As Nostradamus advocates, the concept of climate resilience is predicated on the availability of robust and accessible data.
- The role of Nostradamus: Generating a high-volume, continuous stream of earth observation and climate data by initiatives analogous to Nostradamus necessitates a resilient data infrastructure. The principles and technologies developed in our project for secure, interoperable, and resilient data exchange (integrating with initiatives such as the “Common European Agricultural Data Space”) are precisely what is required to ensure that Nostradamus’s valuable insights reach users reliably. In the event of the departure of a data intermediary responsible for ensuring the traceability of a coffee supply chain, the climate data provided by Nostradamus could still be accessed via alternative routes.
- Standardisation for Impact: Our work emphasises the use of standardised data for compliance and effective data sharing. This approach is informed by initiatives such as the newly established ISO TC 347, which focuses on “Data-driven agri-food systems”.
The role of Nostradamus: For earth observation data to be widely actionable and contribute to EU ESG reporting, it must adhere to common standards. The processing and delivery of climate-relevant data by Nostradamus align with the necessity for standardised data formats and interoperability, thus enabling seamless integration into platforms such as CEADS and contributing to robust ESG reporting frameworks.
The path forward: Integrated intelligence
Projects such as Nostradamus do not merely involve data collection; instead, they are concerned with transforming data into predictive capabilities, thereby contributing to constructing a more resilient future. Integrating state-of-the-art earth observation and AI capabilities with the targeted efforts on SME circularity, data management (via CEADS), and regulatory compliance, as outlined in the drafted project, can generate a significant synergistic effect. This pragmatic approach contributes to the refinement and scalability of tools, ensuring their facile implementation.
The outcome of this initiative is a more robust agricultural system, which empowers farmers to adapt to water scarcity and climate change while enhancing productivity and sustainability. This integrated approach will empower agri-food SMEs globally, enabling them to confidently navigate EU regulations, embrace circularity, and build sustainable and resilient supply chains that benefit both people and the planet. The future of farming is intelligent, sustainable, and visible from space.
REFERENCES:
- Trust in Data. (n.d.). Growth in agriculture: The common European agricultural data space. https://ceads.eu/
- DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e. V. (n.d.). New structures for data-driven agrifood systems. https://www.din.de/en/innovation-and-research/smart-farming/new-structures-for-data-driven-agrifood-systems
Authors:
Prof. Dr. Nils Borchard
Siv Biada
