How and why we built our Smart Farm

Abstract

The Smart Farm of Bioeconomy Campus project (2021–2023) developed a unique hub of Smart Farming technology. The resulting Smart Farm aims to accelerate the adoption of smart technologies in farms according to the United Na-tions Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, at the Smart Farm, near-market technologies and services are tested, developed, and demonstrated. The aim is to remove barriers to their adoption and accelerate innova-tion in the sector, significantly increasing the benefits for farmers and the related agricultural industry. The founda-tion of the Smart Farm is based on processing various types of data. In the project, data was intensively collected from 16 hectares of test plots where barley was cultivated. Regular measurements were taken from the soil, crops, and from machinery and tractors equipped with ISOBUS technology. Measurements included the use of wireless soil sensors (20 units), drone imaging (RGB, multispectral, and thermal cameras), satellite images, and tractor tele-matics data. Additionally, the usability of the 5G signal in machine guidance was measured. Based on the collected data, precision farming was planned and implemented. Automated field navigation with headland automation was compared to traditional manual driving methods. Using GIS, maps such as profitability and energy consumption maps were generated from the data. The project developed a Farmer’s Data Repository, through which a farmer can license their data to the desired destination via a data delivery service. The project also demonstrated the opera-tion of such a system, compliant with EU data regulations, in collaboration with partner companies. A comprehen-sive project, the Finnish Future Farm (2023–2026), has begun based on the foundation of the Smart Farm, involving companies, educational and research organizations, farmers, and stakeholders. The project will build a digital twin of the physical Smart Farm, both of which will be utilized in R&D, experimentation, and education.