More than 50 million euros for digital trial fields in the agricultural sector

On 9 March 2020, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) confirmed the funding of the remaining digital trial fields on agricultural holdings. All 14 trial fields are now in use. The Ministry has earmarked funds of more than EUR 50 million over the next three years.

The BMEL is using these trial fields to promote digitalisation in agriculture. The trial fields are intended to help research digital technologies in arable farming and animal breeding and test their practicability.

With these digital trial fields, the BMEL has established a new funding tool to harness the potential of digitalisation in agriculture. These trial fields are digital test fields on agricultural holdings which can be used to perform tests, for example on how digital technologies can best be used to protect the environment, improve animal welfare, promote biodiversity and reduce workloads. Start-ups can also take part in the project. For interested practitioners, the trial fields serve as points of contact that provide information on digitalisation opportunities in agriculture.

The first two trial fields were launched in September 2019, followed by four more in October 2020. In January 2020, at the International Green Week in Berlin, the Ministry confirmed the funding of two more digital trial fields on agricultural holdings. Funding for the remaining six trial fields was then confirmed at the beginning of March 2020. All 14 trial fields are now up and running - eight in the area of crop production, three on animal husbandry and three interdisciplinary trial fields. All in all, 25 proposals were submitted. The trial fields are located all over Germany and focus on different areas. They cover a wide range of topics, such as the use of the new 5G mobile broadband standard in agriculture, the optimal combination of land machinery based on digital data exchange in plant production to reduce the application of fertiliser and plant protection products, animal-friendly husbandry of dairy cows by using digital technologies and the use of digital technologies in small holdings.

The trial fields at a glance

  • Landnetz - Technical University of Dresden (Coordinator) - Topic: Nationwide communication and cloud networks for agriculture 4.0 and rural areas
  • Express - Leipzig University (Coordinator) - Topic: Trial field on data-driven networks and digitalisation in agriculture
  • Agro-Nordwest - Agrotech Valley Forum (Coordinator) - Topic: Project on cross-company practice-oriented further development of digital farming solutions in crop production
  • BeSt-SH - R&D center Kiel University of Applied Sciences (Coordinator) - Topic: Farm management and material flow management - interlinked agriculture in Schleswig-Holstein
  • Diabek - Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences - Topic: Applying, evaluating and communicating digitalisation - Cooperation between family-led arable farms and practice-oriented educational institutions
  • Digimilch - Bavarian State Institute of Agriculture (Coordinator) - Topic: Digitalisation in milk production – Demonstration, testing and evaluation of new digital products and services along the agricultural milk production chain
  • DigiVine - Julius Kühn Institute (Coordinator) - Topic: Digitalisation in the viticulture value adding network: From planting to grape delivery
  • CattleHub - Bonn University (Coordinator) - Topic: Support systems for smart cattle husbandry
  • FarmerSpace - Göttingen Institute for Sugar Beet Research (Coordinator) - Topic: Trial field for implementing digital technologies for crop protection
  • DIWAKOPTER - Geisenheim University - Topic: Digitalisation in wine production and arable farming using multirotors, connected sensors and satellite communication channels.
  • EF-Suedwest - Service centre for rural areas Rheinhessen-Nahe-Hunsrück (coordinator) - Topic: Promoting data management across different industries and holdings to support agricultural value creation systems.
  • Agrisens-DEMMIN 4.0 - German Research Centre for Geosciences - Helmholtz Centre (Coordinator) - Topic: Using techniques for remote sensing to digitalise crop production
  • DigiSchwein - Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony (Coordinator) - Topic: Cross innovation and digitalisation in animal-friendly pig farming with due regard to resource conservation - advice, training and support
  • DiWenkLa - University of Hohenheim (Coordinator) - Topic: Digital value chains for sustainable small-scale agriculture

Digital test fields as drivers of innovation

Digitalisation provides an array of new opportunities to make agricultural professions more attractive, fit for the future and successful. Digital trial fields can thus drive innovation and acceptance since they contribute to sustainability as a whole by protecting the environment and conserving nature.

Competence network established on digital technologies in the agriculture sector

Around 30 experts from science and associations and spokespersons of the trial fields met for the inaugural session of the competence network on "Digital technologies in the agricultural sector". The network is chaired by Prof. Dr. Hessel, the Commissioner for Digitalisation at the BMEL. Members of the competence network will provide comprehensive knowledge of digitalisation and agriculture to support and guide the trial fields. They will contribute to the creation of networks, offer scientific support and enhance synergy effects. Current developments and challenges from all areas of digitalisation in agriculture will be analysed within the network and solutions developed. The competence network is scheduled to meet twice a year and is supported by an office in the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).

Background note

Digitalisation in agriculture brings together two highly complex systems. In order to seize the opportunities for society, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) developed the Programme on the Future of Digital Policy for Agriculture. This programme identifies the BMEL's related measures and initiatives and aims to provide targeted support to further develop digitalisation. For the period up until 2022, EUR 60 million have been earmarked for digitalisation and modernisation of the agricultural sector - which is key for making the sector future-proof and the green professions more attractive.

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