Dacom provides agri yield management solutions using sensor technology and models to optimize crop yields and reduce costs like water and fungicide usage. Their solutions include weather stations, sensors, and apps that provide irrigation and disease control advice. One project in South Africa helped small farmers optimize chemical use and yields using text message advisories. Dacom has many partners and develops their own biological models to determine infection risks and provide nationwide warning systems to thousands of farmers.

1. Possibilities of Agri Yield Management
Gerben Germs, DACOM
Agri Yield Management
Use of information technology
and sensor systems to optimize
yields and to reduce costs.
December 2014

2. Leading Agri Yield Management
Optimizing crop yield based on
ICT and sensor technology
our mission: reduction of global
water & fungicide usage by agriculture
Founder of Dacom BV
Jan Hadders
Ex - farmer
Author of
The next generation
leads the way into the
new world...
Janneke Hadders, CEO
Dacom BV

3. Partners

4. DACOM OUTPUT
DATABANK
DACOM SOLUTIONS
DACOM INPUT
Dacom System and Solutions
FERTILIZER
MANAGEMENT
IRRIGATION
MANAGEMENT
DISEASE
CONTROL
INSECT
CONTROL

5. Scientific knowledge through:
Every model is in house developed by Dacom and continuously calibrated
in cooperation with universities, research institutes, trading companies,
farmers as:
• Wageningen University of Agriculture
• Stellenbosch Institute (University of Agriculture in South Africa)
• Chemical companies such as: Syngenta, Bayer, BASF, Novartis, ect.
• HZPC (seed potato) / BEJO (vegetable seeds)
• Farmers
DACOM INPUT
Scientific
knowledge
andexpertise

6. Dacom hardware packages
1. Basic weather station
2. Complete weather station
3. Rain monitoring station
4. Sensetion package
5. TerraSen station

7. DACOM OUTPUT
DACOM INPUT
Agri weather forecast
for any (farming) site in the world
Climate:
forecast&
sensordata

8. DACOM OUTPUT
DATABANK
DACOM SOLUTIONS
DACOM INPUT
Dacom System and Solutions
10 DAY
WEATHER
FORECAST
FERTILIZER
MANAGEMENT
IRRIGATION
MANAGEMENT
DISEASE
CONTROL
INSECT
CONTROL

9. DACOM OUTPUT
Biological model runs life cycle of fungus
to determine infection events

10. Phytophthora
Unprotected crop
•Sporulation:
Between 5°C en 30°C
Optimum 18°CRelease and spreading
Die off
•Infection:
Free water is neccesary
Penetration in epidermis / damage
Min. Temp.: 6°C, max.: 30°C
Optimum: 18°C - 20°C.

11. Practice: 10 applications
Optimized: 6 applications
Year review: example of implementation
DACOM SOLUTIONS
Growing season
Traditional treatment, calendar spraying

12. Project in the UK

13. Project:
Latest agricultural technology for
emerging farmers in South Africa
• Objective: Make new agricultural
technologies beneficial for small
emerging farmers (2006 – 2007)
• One weather station was installed at a
local farmer and councilor of the
municipality.
• Introducing the Late Blight (Phytophthora
infestans) warning system in Potato.
• No computers available, but 60% of the
farmers did have a mobile phone.
• Text message service in own language.
• Results:
• Possible to introduce new technology by
using the mobile network.
• Optimize of chemical use and higher yield.
• Applicable for farmers all over the world.

14. Master plan
Phytophthora
Nationwide warning system.
With 120 weather stations and
10-days weather forecasts.
15.000 farmers are notified in
case of an outbreak.
The Dacom model calculates
the risks per region.
Based on postal codes farmers
get a fax or text messages, in
case of high infection-chances
Between 2001 and 2012 MORE THEN 1.200.000 WARNINGS
In 2013 introduction
of the Phytophthora
Lite App

15. Potatoes Phytophthora infestans, Alternaria solani, Sclerotinia
Tomatoes Phytophthora infestans, Botrytis cinerea
Onions Peronospora d., Botrytis s., Stemphylium b.
Cabbage Mycosphaerella brassicola, Albugo candida
Lettuce Bremia lactucae
Carrots Alternaria dauci, Sclerotinia, Erysiphe, Cercospora
Flowerbulbs Botrytis spp.
Leek Phytophthora porri, Alternaria porri, Puccinia alli
Celery Septoria apiicola
Strawberries Botrytis, Sphaerotheca
Aspargus Stemphyllium botryosum
Grapes Plasmopara viticola, Uncinula necator, Botrytis
Appels Venturi inequalis
Citrus fruits Alternaria alt., Phyt. palmivora, Phomopsis citri
Oil seed rape Sclerotinia
Wheat Septoria
Corn / Mais Grey leafspot
Sugarbeets Cercospora, Ramularia
Available diseasemodels
DACOM OUTPUT

16. DACOM OUTPUT
DATABANK
DACOM SOLUTIONS
DACOM INPUT
Dacom System and Solutions
10 DAY
WEATHER
FORECAST
FERTILIZER
MANAGEMENT
IRRIGATION
MANAGEMENT
DISEASE
CONTROL
INSECT
CONTROL

17. DACOM OUTPUT

18. Irrigation management
Too dry Good Too wet

19. pF curve

20. DACOM SOLUTIONS
GPRS
Farm
Day and night rhythm

22. Sensetion
What is it?
The Sensetion is the newest development in water management by Dacom
and consists of a smart & simple soil moisture sensor with an app. The
Sensetion can easily be installed by the arable farmer himself. This new
sensor measures soil moisture at root level. Together with the app on his
smartphone the arable farmer will have access to an optimal irrigation advice
of his fields through internet anytime and anywhere.

23. Sensetion
Functional characteristics:
Height 142 cm
Measuring range 25 cm
Measuring depth depends on installation
Integrated drill point
Integrated data logger
- including solar panel
- communication through GPRS quad-band modem
and SIM card

24. Sensetion
Functional characteristics:
Overview of fields in order of irrigation priority
Overview available millimeters* moisture for the plant
Indication line of relative available moisture for the plant
Overview maximal irrigation in millimeters* with advice
Coulour codes:
- red = attention
- green = within set limits
- blue = wet (> 90% field capacity)
- grey = no data
*alternative possible settings in inches

25. SensetionWhat does it offer?
Optimal irrigation advice for all your crops
Current soil moisture status of all your fields
Anytime and anywhere access with your smartphone
Easy to install

26. Sensetion
What else does it offer?
Incl. data and software subscription for 3
years
High quality design with smart sensors
inside
Powered by solar energy

27. Agri Yield Management
information technology
and sensor systems
to optimize yields based
on a strong partnership