Use Case 4b (machine data) which revolves around farm machine data, is cooperating with other organisations on developing standardised messages. In UC4b the E-CROP message in a JSON-REST format is used to transfer information on field activities. UC4b focussed on fertilisation first and is now shifting focus on catch crop for a demo in the autumn.
The E-CROP message is a comprehensive data standard developed by UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business). UN/CEFACT is a subsidiary, intergovernmental body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which serves as a focal point within the United Nations Economic and Social Council for trade facilitation recommendations and electronic business standards. It has global membership and its members are experts from intergovernmental organizations, individual countries’ authorities and also from the business community.
AgroConnect, a Dutch standardising organisation and member of the global AgGateway organisation, approached NIVA UC4b with the request to share experience with the use of the E-CROP standard and the developed messages. This on behalf of the potato industry such as a direct response to a request from McCain potatoes. McCain processes potatoes into deep frozen potato products like fries.
To improve its processes, the potato industry wants to get more (real time) data about the growing conditions of the potatoes, and especially about the inputs that were used. Therefore, it wants to get detailed crop data from the farm management information system and from the equipment that is used to nurse the crop. NIVA and AgroConnect-AgGateway decided to share the knowledge on E-CROP. NIVA will share the schema, an example message and the connector scripts. AgroConect-AgGateway will do the same when it has developed its solution.
NIVA envisages interoperability of farm data and stimulates interaction with relevant parties in order to reach more standardised solutions.