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"The farmer must not only collect products but must collect data, and in this xFarm with its technology and innovation is crucial.
We are located in Voghera, in the province of Pavia, at the GLS farm of Stringa Laura and Silvia. With an area of 120 hectares, a business that has been going on for several decades and an all-female management, the two sisters produce cereals and horticultural crops with the conviction that the adoption of new technologies is at base the sustainability-environmental and economic-of the agricultural sector.
Laura and Silvia can be extremely versatile, but they have decided to divide their tasks: Silvia, being an agronomist mainly takes care of everything related to field activities, while Laura takes care of the administrative part.
All of our horticultural produce is destined for the agri-food chain and is GLOBALG.A.P. certified, a label that requires high standards of hygiene, safety, traceability and product wholesomeness. To maintain this level of quality we need to carry out continuous monitoring, to know the phenological stage of the crops throughout their growing cycle, and to enter the field often to have our finger on the pulse of the situation.
Our address is predominantly cereal-horticultural. With regard to horticultural crops (tomato, onion, potato), which have particularly high irrigation needs, especially in summer, conscious and efficient management of the water resource is of paramount importance. Being irrigation through micro-sprinkler systems and having predominantly clay soils, sensing and verification of optimal field conditions for each irrigation intervention are strategic for maintaining good crop health throughout the growing cycle.
Until a few years ago the rainfall survey was done in an analog way, taking advantage of rainfall data and manually entering them inside tables at base of which the corresponding histograms were constructed. Now, however, with the help of new technologies we have decided to evolve to obtain data that are more immediate, more ready to use and easier to translate into field operations. It is precisely for this reason that we have approached sensor technology and xFarm as technologies to be introduced on the farm to facilitate and make irrigation operations more efficient.
The functions we use most are those related to monitoring temperature, humidity, and rainfall. In winter, frost alerts have proved particularly useful.
In addition, we will soon start sowing seeds, then place soil moisture and leaf wetness sensors, which we will use to facilitate irrigation management and to monitor the phytosanitary status of crops.
In general to those interested in conducting precision agriculture and contractors, but it could easily be recommended to anyone: with the rules of the new CAP 2023-27 in fact, cross-compliance will become the main requirement for payments. As a result, record-keeping and monitoring will be at base of the targeted and increasingly judicious use of inputs such as fertilizer and plant protection. As of today, writing a good farm notebook is the base for anyone who wants to talk about sustainability or do Agriculture 4.0, so xFarm should be used by everyone.
Farming is women because times change, and so does agriculture. Agriculture is women because we manage to blend technology and innovation from a very solid base of tradition, made up of decades of purely male history, in a compelling way and with a lot of enthusiasm.
It is a challenge, but we believe in it. For us it is the most beautiful job in the world.
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