Optimizing Agricultural Practice - Potential Impact
Supporting Agri-finance - Potential Impact
Facilitating Agri-Value Chains - Potential Impact
Enforcing Policies - Potential Impact
Government Efficiency & Transparency - Potential Impact
Case study
Farmer Use
Use By Other Actors
Readiness
Examples of Implementation
Standards
Cover Image
Policy & Administration
Policy and legislation texts relevant for the agricultural sector
(Phyto) Sanitary regulations
Environmental Regulations
Import/Export Regulations
Animal Health & Welfare Regulations
Subsidy Schemes
Decision making resulting in policies and legislation is the core business of any government. By making these documents available online as structured and computer-searchable text, (third party) ICT services can be developed that will enable a better sharing and implementation of these policies and legislation, thereby contributing to the realisation of their objectives. Having lists of applicable policies and regulations, and extracting any data they contain (such as lists of subsidies) can als
Moderate
Policy & Administration
Lists of organisations, people, or products officially registered, permitted or restricted as a result of legislation.
Many policies lead to a list of items, people or organisations that are permitted, licensed or registered in different ways. By providing these lists as open data they can be easily consulted - increasing the impact, and lowering administrative costs. (Third party) information services can be built to make these lists easily accessible by the intended user groups. Having this data readily available may also be beneficial for internal collaboration between different government organisations.
Very High
Policy & Administration
Financial management data of the government
Investment in Research and Education
Agricultural Subsidy Expenditure
Agriculture-related Tax Income
Penalties Given to Agricultural Actors
The availability of open data on government spending in the agricultural sector can lead to more transparency and equity. Feedback from civil society may result in a more targeted or effective spending of the budget.
High
Policy & Administration
Data describing rural development projects, funded by a government. The funding may be from local government or a donor government (aid). The rural development projects aim to support agriculture, economic development and the environment in isolated, sparsely populated areas. This category is dealing with project level data, financial data, but also monitoring and evaluation, project activities. etc.
General information on a rural development project
Rural development project output, outcome and impact
Rural development project baseline and survey data
Rural development project documents
The availability of open data on government-funded rural development can provide more transparency in government spending, and better opportunities to collaborate and balance between different programmes and projects, making these projects more effective in reaching their goals.
High
Socio-economic
Data describing the cultivated area, the crops grown and yield in the different regions.
Land use data
Cultivated Crops & Livestock
Crop Yield
Biomass
Most governments make estimates of the cultivated area, crops grown and yield in different regions to monitor food security and economic development. These figures have a strategic value for all value-chain actors in better planning and adapting their businesses.
High
Socio-economic
Data describing the companies and organisations involved in the agricultural value chain and the quality of their activities. For example data on farmers, cooperatives, processors, retailers and input suppliers.
(Food safety) inspection results
Company profiles of groups of value chain actors or organisations
(Food) product data
Most governments collect a lot of information on the individual value-chain actors, e.g. farmers are monitored on a regular basis, provide data on nutrient management to match legal requirements or submit information to get subsidies in order to comply with regulations. Sharing this information will allow value-chain actors to increases their insights, facilitating the functioning of the value chain.
Very High
Socio-economic
Data describing national networks for roads, water, ICT, etc., including their condition, maintenance schedules, logistical service providers and timetables
Road network
Mobile Telephone coverage
Road management schedules
Waterways
Internet coverage
Sharing this data helps value-chain actors to better plan their activities. For example, having good knowledge about the national infrastructure is vital in managing transportation and storage of (perishable) food products and having equitable access to markets. Knowledge of ICT infrastructures enables eService providers to develop their market strategies.
Moderate
Socio-economic
Data on the location of markets, market prices, market standards.
Market management and rules
Standards, Grades, Labelling.
Location of markets
Global food prices
Market prices
Lists of Markets and Auctions
Import/export volume
To create open equitable markets, price information should be shared with farmers. By providing open data on markets and market prices, farmers will be better positioned to negotiate at the farm gate, select crops, and select a distribution channel. (Third-party) services can be built to make these lists easily accessible by the intended user groups.
Very High
Natural Resources
Earth & Environment
Quantitative data on surface weather variables including forecasts, local observations and historic archives
Short-term Weather Forecast
Real Time Observations
Observations Archives
Climate Zones
Climate Change Predictions
Plant growth is driven by weather variables and therefore agricultural production is directly dependent on weather conditions. Many agricultural activities (e.g. sowing, harvesting, fertilizer application) are dependent on weather conditions for planning and effectiveness. Given this, all agricultural stakeholders are interested in some form of meteorological data. Most governments have a specific department or agency dealing with weather information. By making meteorological information availab
Very High
Natural Resources
Earth & Environment
Data describing the elevation of the terrain and its derivatives, such as slope and aspect.
Aspect data
Slope data
Hight points
Digital elevation model
Height and height difference influence many processes relevant for agriculture, such as the flow of water, erosion, temperature, and exposure to wind and sun. Sharing this information helps value-chain actors to better understand the local production environment in different places.
High
Natural Resources
Earth & Environment
Data describing the state and dynamics of ground and surface water
Location of water sources
Water balance
Flood zones
Historical records on flooding
Real-time water levels
Water quality
Water tables
Water management
Water is a key resource for agriculture. Too much or too little water is a threat to agriculture and can have disastrous outcomes. The right amount of water is essential for harvest success.
Governments possess many different sources of hydrological information. Sharing this information makes it possible to analyze better the potential for agriculture in different regions of the country. This information is mainly usable for planning purposes at a strategic level by different value-chain actor
Moderate
Natural Resources
Earth & Environment
Data describing soil characteristics and soil classes.
Soil Maps
Soil Samples
Soil Classes
The characteristics of soil data are key to farming practice. The soil quality is influential on the selection of crops, the need for inputs and for management of the land. Many governments collect soil information in order to gain a better understanding of the environmental conditions in different areas of the country or as part of extension activities. However the applicability of soil data from government sources depends on the accuracy and the level of detail of the information. Generally th
High
Agronomy
Agricultural Technology
Data related to crop selection, crop and land management as typically found in extension services or government research institutes.
Data on cultivators, land races and farmer varieties including new releases.
Crop calendars.
Agronomic practice recommendations
Intercropping, Relay Cropping, Rotations
Fertilizer recommendations.
By providing the agronomic data as open data, farm extension recommendations can be shared more widely and updated more efficiently.
High
Agronomy
Agricultural Technology
Data on the distribution of pest and diseases and their treatment.
Recommended pesticides
Treatment recommendations
Occurrences and distribution of pest and diseases
Sharing information on pests and diseases with farmers in real time can prevent their further spread, thereby saving crops, and reducing economic losses and environmental damage. However, information on pests and diseases is often considered sensitive because of trade and export impacts.