This blog post is based on the 19th Practice Abstract from the second batch of Farmtopia Practice Abstracts.
For many small and medium-sized farms, digitalisation is supposed to make farm management easier. In practice, however, farmers can end up dealing with multiple tools, complicated interfaces and systems that do not fit easily into their existing workflows.
At the same time, administrative work continues to take up valuable time. Field records, fertiliser and plant protection registers, resource management and CAP-related reporting all require farmers to keep information accurate and up to date. The AGRIFOOD FieldBook, developed and tested through Farmtopia’s SIP5 in Slovenia, aims to make these everyday tasks more manageable by bringing several farm-management functions together in a connected digital environment.
Developing a solution together with farmers
In the Slovenian Farmtopia SIP5 pilot, ITC and KGZS worked together with demonstration farmers from the Pomurje region to co-develop the DIH AGRIFOOD Applications, with a particular focus on the FieldBook.
The approach was based on the idea that digital tools should respond to real farm needs rather than being introduced as isolated technologies.
The AGRIFOOD applications provide an integrated set of functions supporting:
- Farm planning
- Field monitoring
- Digital record keeping
- Decision support
- Benchmarking
- Product traceability
- Trusted data sharing
At the centre of the system, FieldBook allows farmers to digitally record and manage field activities. The wider system can then use these data for analysis, resource management and other farm-management functions.
Connecting data across farm management
The solution also supports secure data exchange through the DIH AGRIFOOD Data Space. This is intended to provide greater transparency and traceability around data while supporting data sovereignty – giving farmers and other users greater control over how their agricultural information is shared and used. Connecting planning, field records, analysis and data sharing can reduce the need to repeatedly enter or transfer the same information between different applications.
What has been tested so far?
The first outcomes were tested during the 2025 growing season on five farms.
In 2026, the pilot expanded to 15 farms in Slovenia and one farm in Ukraine, providing a broader basis for testing the digital tools in different farm environments.
The results so far indicate improved farm efficiency, particularly through reducing the time needed to track activities and manage resources.
On farms with more advanced technological capabilities, the tools can also support the optimisation of fertilisers and other inputs through precision farming approaches.
The experience demonstrates how the value of digitalisation can go beyond replacing paper records: when farm data are connected, they can also provide a basis for better resource management and decision-making.
Start with everyday problems
For farmers considering digital tools, the recommendation from the SIP5 experience is to start with functions that address real, everyday challenges.
This can include:
- Easier field record keeping
- Less administrative work
- Support for compliance and reporting
- A clearer overview of input use
- Better access to farm information for decision-making
Digital tools are more likely to be useful when farmers and advisors are involved from the beginning. Co-development can help ensure that the technology reflects actual workflows and is easier to incorporate into daily farm activities.
One connected system rather than several isolated tools
Another important lesson from SIP5 is that digital solutions can provide greater value when their different functions are connected.
Instead of using separate applications for planning, monitoring, analysis and data sharing, an integrated system can allow information collected during everyday farm activities to support several purposes.
However, technology alone is not enough. Practical onboarding and ongoing support are also important to ensure that farmers can use digital tools confidently and consistently.
Towards simpler digital farm management
The AGRIFOOD FieldBook demonstrates how an integrated digital environment can help small and medium-sized farms reduce administrative effort while making better use of the information they already collect.
By connecting field records with planning, analysis, decision support and trusted data sharing, the solution aims to make digital farm management more practical and relevant to farmers’ everyday needs.
Explore the AGRIFOOD ecosystem: More information about the Digital Innovation Hub for Agriculture and Food Production and the development of the Farmtopia Digital FieldBook is available here: DIH AGRIFOOD
Further information is also available from: KGZS-MS & EU CAP Network – Digitalisation
About this Practice Abstract
This blog post was created from Practice Abstract 19: “AGRIFOOD FieldBook: An Integrated Digital Solution for Farm Management (SIP5)”, part of the second batch of Farmtopia Practice Abstracts.
Publisher: ITC Murska Sobota, Slovenia
Authors: Tomaz Bokan, Miran Bunderla
Contact: tomaz.bokan@itc-cluster.com