Short presentation for a a panel discussion on reducing risk and improving sustainability and how ICT can contribute to this. This presentation was part of the World Congress on Computers and Agriculture and Natural Resources (WCCA2014) in San José, Costa Rica

1. Reducing risk and improving sustainability
The role of ICT in agriculture and natural resources
Sjaak Wolfert
WCCA2014, 28 July 2014, San José Costa Rica

2. Sustainable Agriculture: how to make it work?
society
economy
ecology
VISIONtranslate
feedback

3. Monitoring and control

4. How can ICT provide a sustainability dashboard? (1)
Approach the whole agri-food supply chain as a single
ecosystem with the following subsystems:
 more efficient use of resources for production
● Smart Farming: individual treatment of animals, crops or m2 of
land at the right place and right time through smart sensing &
monitoring, smart planning and smart application using mobile
(geographical) information systems
 minimize waste and energy in logistics
● include real-time tracking and tracing from farm to fork
● remote monitoring of quality conditions through advanced sensor
technologies and wireless networks
● early warning systems
● flexible logistic planning & scheduling systems
● dynamic simulation of sustainability impacts

5. How can ICT provide a sustainability dashboard? (2)
 improve transparency and consumer awareness
● sustainability awareness raising (e.g. (food miles, ecological
footprint, animal welfare, etc.) through consumer profiling and
personalized product information by smartphone apps and social
media
● sustainability awareness raising virtualization of the production
process
● closer connection between producer and consumer
● educate consumers and consumer decision support pre/after sales

6. Requirements for designing a sustainability
dashboard
 Timely and flexible availability of sustainability
information to a variable network of downstream and
upstream partners
 Seamless interoperability of enterprise and supply chain
systems
 Information security (privacy, authentication, integrity)
and data quality
 Affordable solutions which can be utilised by SMEs with
limited resources and competences
 A generic internet platform in the specific context of
sustainable agri-food supply chains.

7. Thanks for your
attention!