As the Nostradamus project reaches its first-year milestone, we are proud to reflect on the progress made across our consortium. Each partner has played a key role in laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, data-enabled future for European agriculture.
This article highlights the Year 1 achievements of Agroscope, whose work focuses on advancing digital technologies, Earth observation, and biodiversity monitoring within our Swiss pilot site.
Key Achievements in Year 1
1. Comprehensive documentation of dataset sources
Agroscope completed the full mapping and documentation of data sources from the Swiss Future Farm, ensuring a strong foundation for data integration and module deployment throughout the project.
2. Selection of pilot modules
Together with the consortium, the team identified the core modules that will be implemented at the pilot site. These modules serve as critical building blocks for demonstrating how data-driven technologies can enhance agricultural practices.
3. Development of data routing logic
A first version of the data routing logic has been designed to ensure efficient processing and distribution of the data required by the selected modules. This is a central step toward enabling automated, intelligent agricultural workflows.
4. Strengthened academic collaboration with EPFL
A new collaboration with the Earth Sensing & Observation Laboratory (ESO) at EPFL, led by Prof. Jan Skaloud, was established. This partnership expands the scientific capabilities of the project and supports cutting-edge research.
5. Recruitment of a joint PhD student
Agroscope and EPFL jointly recruited PhD candidate Nicola Santacroce, who will focus on biodiversity monitoring and Earth observation topics directly linked to Nostradamus.
6. First biodiversity monitoring flights
As part of the PhD research, the team conducted initial drone flights to create a first model for automated biodiversity assessment—an important step toward scalable, data-driven environmental monitoring in Swiss agriculture.
Why These Milestones Matter
Together, these achievements form the backbone of Nostradamus’ work in Switzerland. They demonstrate how Earth observation technologies, digital innovation, and scientific collaboration can help:
Improve biodiversity monitoring
Strengthen sustainability practices
Provide actionable data to farmers
Build replicable methods for other regions in Europe
Agroscope’s contributions not only advance the technical goals of Nostradamus but also support a future where agriculture is more resilient, measurable, and environmentally responsible.
Stay tuned for more Year 1 highlights from our partners across Europe.