Programme

DISAC is a public-private partnership between twenty industrial parties and four knowledge institutes. Part of the project will involve developing a communication infrastructure between sensors and agricultural machinery, which will enable site-specific and real-time adjustments to crop treatment, harvesting and grazing schemes. Improvements will also be made in the management of product storage and processing.

Goals of the DISAC project:

• better financial returns through higher crop yields and improved crop quality
• more sustainable production by reducing harm to the environment (less use of water, energy and chemicals and more efficient application of minerals)
• higher food production
• more efficient and transparent production chains

Quantitative results: 10% increase in yields and quality and 20% less consumption of energy and agri-chemicals.

End users set priorities

The project has adopted a technology pull approach whereby the end users set the priorities. The various DISAC subprojects have all been selected by experts in the production chain.

1. Nitrogen sensing: Developing and testing a prototype for new sensor technology and agri-economic nitrogen advice modules for the Grass/Maize Project (dairy chain).
2. e-Potato: Optimisation of quality in the production chain using the ‘e-Potato’ multi-sensor and data infrastructure (arable chain).

Connectivity and interoperability between sensors, decision support modules and machinery improvements using a robust and secure data infrastructure (IoT DSS mechanisation project).