What was the challenge/ problem addressed?
Code of Good Agricultural Practice in Lithuania was established in 2000. As information, legislation, requirements and rules are constantly changing, users should have the latest information about requirements of application of good agricultral practices on their farms. The challenge was to make a digital form of already existing Code of Good Agricultral Practice, to select relevant and latest information that would be available to everyone, to develop an update system which would allow to update data if needed at the lowest possible cost, to develop and install interactive examples of modelling the situation of a farm, to develop search function and navigation system, to prepare maps of territories for individual use (layers of maps: soil composition, type of soil surface, reclamation information, the Natura 2000 protected areas, water protection zones), and to develop spreadsheets/programmes for individual use that would help farmers to achieve economic benefits with no negative effects to the environment.
How did you solve the problem?
A new service was developed which was integrated into an already existing information system. The service was developed exceptionally for application of principles of good agricultural practices on farms and it had direct impact environment protection and sustainable farming. The service had information search function and navigation system. The service included interactive consultations for farmers. Electronic catalogues of plant diseases and pests as well as registered products for plant protection were available in the system.
Spreadsheets/programmes developed help to achieve economic benefits with no harm to the environment because algorithms were developed adhering to environmental principles. Public electronic service is available for anyone who is concerned about questions related to agricultural production, environmental protection, and climate change.
What are the success factors in solving the problem?
An innovative service was developed, i.e. Code of Good Agricultural Practice was digitalized. Project results were reached because of high competencies of LAAS specialists and their strong motivation to cooperate with researchers and farmers and to share their experience and expertise in implementation of project activities.
Unexpected fails, if any
None.
Lessons learned
In order to ensure that the service will be used after the completion of the project, the new service was being presented not only to farmers but to the wider society which is concerned about sustainable farming. It is very important to include young generation, school age children to whom the innovative services might be interesting and attractive.
What role does the advisor or advisory service play within the practical case?
LAAS advisors were responsible for collecting the data according to the recommendations of researchers, soil sampling and analysis of taken samples, programming description preparation according to the algorithms made by researchers, testing of the service, preparation of training programme on good agricultural practices for distance learning, dissemination of project activities and results.
Can your approach be transferred and/or adapted for other innovation challenges and regions?
Yes.
Estimated transferability on a scale from 1 to 5
(where 1 is easy and 5 very difficult)
3
For sharing the experience on the good practice, please contact Ligita Titiskyte (ligita.titiskyte@lzukt.lt)
For more information look into: https://www.lzukt.lt/naujienos/bus-sukurtas-virtualus-ukininkaujanciu-padejejas/
https://ukininkopatarejas.lt/naujienos/tvarus-ukininkavimas-siandien-ir-rytoj/