“We may not have a crystal ball, but we do have the expertise to help shape this transformation,” said TH OWL President Professor Dr. Jürgen Krahl at the outset. Agricultural science, food science, and Food Technology not only intertwine at the university but also bridge the gap between the campuses.
“The Sustainable Campus Höxter is an important partner for North Rhine-Westphalia as a center for agricultural research,” emphasized Dr. Martin Berges, State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, in this context. “In addition to the Precision Farming degree program here in Höxter, we demonstrate just how innovative we are in advancing agriculture in the 21st century through initiatives such as our NRW-Agrar research network or the Center for Digitalization at the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture. All of this helps the entire industry meet current challenges. I am pleased that we are here today to discuss agricultural innovations in research and technology in order to make livestock farming and crop production even more sustainable.”
The keynote address “Innovations in Digitalization in Agriculture – Instruments and Initiatives at the EU Level” by Dr. Doris Marquardt, European Commission Programme Officer – EU Policies, as well as in the presentation “Transformation of Agriculture in the Field of Plant Protection” by Professor Dr. Sabine Andert, Head of the Department of Plant Protection in Arable Farming and Grassland at the Julius Kühn Institute, were taken up in subsequent workshops. Among other things, these workshops addressed the (agricultural) data necessary for Precision Farming, which can be used to train artificial intelligence, as well as the sensible, selective, and economical use of various plant protection products against the backdrop of developing resistances. To discuss the possibilities for implementing European perspectives in regional agriculture, symposium participants addressed the topics of digitalization in agriculture, plant protection, water reuse, and climate change.
Workshop Review
Professor Dr. Martin Oldenburg summarized the results of the “Water Reuse” workshop as follows: “In the statements on water reuse, it was first noted that a need for irrigation is currently seen only for specialty crops such as fruits and vegetables. Consequently, little water has been used for irrigation purposes in the Höxter district to date. Furthermore, the installation of an irrigation system involves high costs, which currently make the use of irrigation systems seem unattractive. However, climate change will alter this situation, making it necessary to address the issue. Currently, regional farms can still compensate for losses due to drought or water shortages. It is foreseeable, however, that the relevance of reusing water from municipal sources will increase as an issue for agriculture. Internal water reuse, on the other hand, is already important today and is already in use—for example, as rinse water in product washing. Workshop participants see a need for research in linking water supply with erosion control—for example, through decentralized intermediate buffering and provision for irrigation tasks during heavy rainfall events—and in increasing irrigation efficiency through digitalization.”
Following the “Climate Protection” workshop, Professor Dr. Klaus Maas reported: “In the Climate Protection Goals workshop, the central question discussed was to what extent agriculture can contribute to achieving climate protection goals. To begin with, the moderator defined two key terms. The concept of digitalization was deemed relevant because the Höxter campus, with its Precision Farming degree program, places a strong thematic focus on digitalization, and the symposium was intended to conclude with a finding on how the degree program can help shape the future of agriculture. Digitalization was categorized based on its degree of penetration to determine in which category it can contribute to achieving climate protection goals at a concrete level. A key foundation of digitalization is the capture of data streams in real time and within embedded systems. The next step in development involves the increasing interconnection of these systems. With increasing penetration and the associated complexity, further aspects include the visibility and traceability of data streams, transparency in the processing of data streams using machine learning and supervised learning, the accuracy and causality of predictive models in the application of reinforcement learning and self-learning agents, as well as the reliable applicability of artificial intelligence and services based on it.
Climate protection goals were addressed as a second conceptual field. First, the appropriate context was defined in which research and knowledge transfer at a university of applied sciences can be effective. For example, the climate protection goals of the scientific community, the United Nations, or the European Union were deemed too abstract. More concrete are the goals formulated by federal policy, such as the Climate Protection Program 2030, which in 2019 outlined specific areas of action for implementing the Climate Protection Plan 2050. These areas of action include reducing nitrogen surpluses and ammonia emissions, increasing the proportion of manure stored in gas-tight facilities, promoting the fermentation of farm manure, expanding organic farming, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in livestock farming, and improving energy efficiency in agriculture. The last two points are broken down into further sub-points.
The discussion in the workshop was lively but not controversial. Given the limited time frame, the areas of action presented in the input could not be discussed in depth. In the first part of the discussion, the focus was primarily on data analysis. This is already well-established, but the benefits for farmers are not always apparent. Here, the university could help increase the usability of the data. This does not necessarily require large-scale research projects, but rather direct transfer measures. Trust is an important prerequisite in every aspect of data analysis. For example, the provision of data should not be associated with concerns about the bureaucratization of one’s own work processes. Another aspect discussed concerned the preservation of knowledge in data and process analysis. This is usually ensured through “people,” but must be safeguarded via digital applications in light of generational and structural change. The university could also provide important impetus in this regard. Other topics were briefly discussed, such as the switch to electric drives for agricultural equipment, plant- and animal-specific management and its monitoring, and AI-supported data analysis. Without a doubt, the workshop clearly demonstrated the breadth and relevance of numerous topics in the context of agriculture and climate protection.”
Professor Dr. Burkhard Wrenger reported on the “Digitalization and Plant Protection” workshop afterward: “The range of tools for digitalization in agriculture is broad and continues to grow. Simple solutions are available via smartphone apps, while more complex solutions sometimes involve very high acquisition costs. Consequently, many agricultural operations remain undigitalized or only partially digitalized even today. Digital field records or farm management systems are used relatively frequently in field operations. Workshop participants see opportunities in digitalization as a response to the shortage of skilled workers, as well as in increased production and efficiency or improved soil protection. In addition, data-driven operational optimizations are possible. However, these opportunities are also accompanied by challenges. These include the necessary (technical) training of skilled workers and the systems’ suitability for everyday use and robustness. The high initial costs are mentioned alongside the requirements necessary for the introduction or further development of digitalization. As an external factor among the challenges, a link is provided to the sometimes inadequate expansion of mobile network infrastructure in agricultural areas. Participants see a need for R&D regarding the safety of field robots as well as in approval processes for machinery and equipment.
The use and monetization of data via (international) data rooms is currently not a relevant issue for most agricultural operations. They view this as a matter and responsibility of agricultural machinery and service providers, who, in their view, operate in the background and support their own work. TH OWL therefore sees this aspect as an important field for applied research, as it represents a crucial foundation for further data utilization.“
Water Reuse, Climate Change, and Digitalization
In summary, it can be said that the reuse of water, which participants consider sensible, requires intensive monitoring of water quality and ultimately necessitates a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for water. In this context, early warning systems as well as simulation and forecasting models are also cited as development goals. In the participants’ view, these must be supplemented by improved water-saving approaches.
The challenges posed by climate change can be partially addressed through field- or subplot-specific cultivation. For this purpose, site-specific impact assessments and adapted crop rotation planning are advisable.
In both areas—water use and climate change—it was noted that, in addition to grassland and arable farming, animal welfare must also be taken into account and can be supported by data.
In the area of plant protection and its support through digitalization, many technologies are already available today that enable the technically and digitally supported application of plant protection products. These include global satellite navigation systems such as GPS, spot spraying, and many AI tools for the (real-time) analysis of data. Camera-based mapping of the current condition of croplands and grasslands is state-of-the-art and is already widely used on farms.
The availability of biological active ingredients also contributes to a solid foundation. Consequently, workshop participants see very good opportunities to reduce the amount of chemical pesticides applied while maintaining the effectiveness of the active ingredients. Resistance management is an important responsibility that can be supported by digitalization approaches. However, agricultural businesses also expect that the effectiveness of non-chemical plant protection methods will not decline compared to the approaches commonly used to date. Additional challenges include high investment costs and what are perceived as slow approval processes.
The social acceptance of drones and field robots is currently an open question that research should address, as should the growing uncertainty among many farms regarding political regulations and their own future viability, as Professor Wrenger noted.
