H2020 APOLLO Project: Earth Observation-Based Small Farm Advisory Platform

Big data for small farms improves resource use and profitability. Feeding the world's growing population in increasingly extreme environmental conditions is a challenge for farmers everywhere. Those who feed us need help, so EU-funded researchers developed an affordable farm management platform. Copernicus and Apollo, historically linked by their connection to the Sun, teamed up under the auspices of the EU-funded APOLLO project to expand the implementation of precision agriculture. Focused on small farms, an advisory services platform for informed decision-making should increase profitability, competitiveness, sustainability, and food security in the future.

Putting Big Data in the Hands of Farmers The APOLLO platform, which makes extensive use of freely available Earth observation data, such as those provided by the European Union’s Copernicus programme, was designed to optimize the use of agricultural resources. As project coordinator Machi Simeonidou explains: “APOLLO services are available anywhere, anytime via the web interface and mobile app. The web interface provides full access to all APOLLO services and data, while the mobile app is used for basic reporting and alerts.”

Tillage and irrigation scheduling services provide daily information to optimize soil preparation and resource use. Tillage scheduling helps farmers reduce soil degradation and use less fuel, thereby lowering costs and emissions. Since agricultural irrigation accounts for 70% of global water consumption, reducing water usage has significant economic and environmental benefits. APOLLO's crop growth monitoring service provides continuous information on crop health. Early warnings of infestations and nutrient deficiencies facilitate rapid response and reduced losses.

The crop yield estimation service helps farmers estimate expected income and decide whether to sell or store their produce. Forget the Farmer's Almanac and make room for the APOLLO weather forecast and alert service. APOLLO offers highly localized field-level weather conditions, including temperature, humidity, wind magnitude, and direction. Finally, APOLLO helps farmers create "management zones" using the Farm Management Zoning service. By grouping areas with common characteristics, farmers can better allocate resources and more efficiently manage land use and crop productivity. The ground is fertile for tremendous growth.

Agriculture has not historically been a data-driven economic sector, and the APOLLO team focused on sales and marketing to recruit farms for pilot studies. Ultimately, the team exceeded its initial recruitment goals and, in the process, demonstrated the value of its platform. According to Simeonidou, results from pilots in Greece, Spain, and Serbia demonstrated "significant fuel and water savings during tillage and irrigation, with equal or better yields. Additionally, the APOLLO platform enabled farmers and agricultural consultants to better monitor and schedule their activities, improved their understanding of field variability, and facilitated their transition from conventional to precision farming practices."

Approximately 70% of beta testers found APOLLO services useful and planned to incorporate them into their daily activities, and 74% said they would recommend them. APOLLO's modular architecture will facilitate both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) sales. The team is currently in discussions with potential clients. Simeonidou summarizes: “APOLLO services enable the use of fewer agricultural inputs and higher yields, resulting in lower costs, greater profitability and competitiveness, and greater environmental sustainability.”