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Research & Development Request

DT-RUR-12-2018: ICT Innovation for agriculture – Digital Innovation Hubs for Agriculture - R&D and business partners sought with expertise in area of ICT-based solutions for Precision Agriculture

Country of Origin: Bulgaria
Reference Number: RDBG20171109001
Publication Date: 8 January 2018

Summary

A consortium of R&D institutions and companies with main partners from Bulgaria and Israel working in the areas of agrotechnology, environmental sciences, agriculture, nutrition and biotechnology is preparing a project proposal on a H2020 call on rural renaissance. The consortium seeks R&D institutions, universities and companies to be a partner in the project with aim to implement novel on-farm technologies (robots, IT technologies, artificial intelligence, etc.) for precision agriculture.

Description

European agriculture could gain an essential competitive advantage if the ICT sector and the farming community could work together in order to generate bottom-up ICT innovations across the European region for novel agricultural systems increasing productivity and ensuring sustainability. 



The consortium consists of private and public research institutes  and industry leaders working in the field of precision agriculture and agrotechnology and environmental sciences with experience in applied research, international collaboration and implementation of projects in FP6, FP7 (including ERC),bi-lateral and national competitive projects, promoting of knowledge and productivity to stakeholders in the sector.. 



The project aims to promote Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) in agriculture. A DIH helps companies become more competitive by improving their business/production processes, products and services through the use of digital technologies. DIHs link user companies and technology suppliers through offering of services to test and experiment with advanced technologies and thus producing innovative products/solutions. 



The main focus of the project is on intersectoral collaboration regarding innovative technologies that need to be customized, integrated, tested and validated not only by technology developers but also the farming community before they are placed on the market. Special emphasis is placed on the strengthening of European start-ups and SMEs: by adopting new concepts linked to innovative agri-business and / or service models, and connecting them with actors that can provide access to finance, advanced training skills, knowledge and needs of the farming community.



The project will establish a network of Agro-Centres based on IT platform and link  companies (SMEs) producing drones and censors for precision agriculture, universities, scientific organisations having experimental farms and experts, NGOs, etc. The network will offer consultations and services of precision agriculture of the  farming community.



The project activities have an impact on the reduction of the harmful effects on the environment  by implementing predictive analytics for smarter decisions using novel on-farm technologies (e.g. robots, Internet of Things related technologies, artificial intelligence, etc.) for precision agriculture.



The proposal will be submitted under topic DT-RUR-12-2018: ICT Innovation for agriculture – Digital Innovation Hubs for Agriculture Horizon 2020 call: H2020- DT-RUR-12-2018.



The consortium is looking for R&D partners and companies having expertise and know-how in precision agriculture, experimental farming, experience of using  sensors, drones, robots, sensing applications for precision agriculture with role to test and experiment innovative precision agriculture technologies and implement them on-site - in order to create an active network pooling ICT and agricultural technologies and creating added value and competitiveness.



Expression of interest deadline: 05 Feb 2018.



Call deadline: 13 Feb 2018.



Call link: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/dt-rur-12-2018.html



The project will be single stage with a duration of 156 weeks.

Advantages and Innovations

- creation of a sustainable network of Digital Innovation Hubs across Europe

- explore new application areas for ICT in agriculture and increase the deployment of technologies in the agriculture sector

- creating synergy between the agricultural and ICT sectors through sharing of best practice, dissemination, brokerage between ICT suppliers and farming users, leveraging investment and training

- establishing sustainable production systems and increasing of the competitiveness of the farming sector Europe-wide

Stage Of Development

Proposal under development

Requested partner

Type of partner: project members are sought that represent research and academic institutions and industry leaders.



Specific area of the partner: research institutions and universities specialised in Precision Agriculture to provide services for farms; industrial partners that produce sensors, drones, robots, sensing applications for Precision Agriculture; Farms / Experimental farms; IT organisations with aim to test and implement innovative solutions pooling  ICT and agricultural technologies and creating added value.



Task to be performed: research cooperation agreement.