For farmers and agricultural cooperatives, machinery is a major investment. Deciding when to buy new equipment, which machinery best fits a farm’s needs, or whether sharing equipment could be more efficient all require reliable information. Digital tools can help make these decisions easier, but only when they are practical, accessible and connected to the realities of farm management.
These questions were at the centre of the Farmtopia SIP9 Open Day, held online on 24 June 2026 and hosted by FRcuma Ouest. Bringing together 33 identified participants- including farmers, farm advisors, cooperatives, researchers and policymakers – the event explored how digital tools can support CUMAs and farmers in analysing machinery costs, planning investments and managing equipment fleets.
From information to better decisions
SIP9 focuses on digital tools developed and promoted to support CUMAs and agricultural professionals, including GPR Online, CumaEstime, CumaCalc, MyCumaLink and CumaGPI.
The Open Day provided an opportunity to introduce these tools, demonstrate their practical applications and discuss how they can be used in everyday decision-making. Rather than simply presenting the technologies, the session brought in the experiences of CUMA representatives and advisors, including farmer representative James Louvet and advisors Philippe Coupard and Denis Letellier.
This practical perspective helped connect the digital tools with the questions farmers and CUMAs face when managing machinery and considering future investments.
Putting digital tools into practice
Participants were already familiar with several digital tools, including Excel, GPR and MyCumaLink. They recognised their value in analysing machinery costs, finding information about equipment and supporting investment decisions.
The demonstrations showed how the SIP9 tools can build on this existing use of digital technology. For example, CumaGPI attracted particular attention by showing how CUMA data can be visualised through dashboards, helping users analyse machinery fleets and investments.
MyCumaLink also demonstrated new technical criteria related to precision agriculture. Supported through Farmtopia, these developments can help users identify more specific types of equipment and technologies.
The practical demonstrations were one of the highlights of the session, giving participants a clearer understanding of how the tools could be applied to concrete situations rather than presenting them as abstract digital solutions.
Making digital tools easier to access
While participants saw clear value in the solutions presented, the discussion also highlighted an important challenge: having several useful tools does not necessarily make digital management easier.
Participants pointed to issues such as access to different platforms, multiple passwords, data quality and the need for stronger connections between the tools. Understanding some of the calculations and indicators was another challenge.
These observations underline an important point for digital innovation in agriculture: the usefulness of a tool depends not only on what it can do, but also on how easily people can access and understand it.
Participants therefore highlighted simplicity, reliability and clear information as essential characteristics. Appropriate support and training can also help users make the most of digital solutions, particularly when tools involve more complex calculations or indicators.
Learning from each other
Beyond the technologies themselves, participants valued the opportunity to exchange practices and experiences. The contributions from CUMA representatives and advisors helped illustrate how digital tools can fit into real management situations, while questions from participants opened up further discussion about usability, data and practical application.
This exchange is particularly important for technologies aimed at smaller farms and agricultural cooperatives. Farmers and advisors need to see not only that a tool works, but also how it can respond to a real problem they face.
The event showed that digital innovation can be more effective when it combines technology with knowledge sharing – allowing users to learn from both the tools and from one another.
Connecting tools for a more practical future
The SIP9 Open Day also highlighted an important direction for future digital farming: better-connected tools and simpler access. Participants identified the quality and regular updating of data as essential, while stronger links between platforms could reduce some of the barriers created by using multiple systems. Improving interfaces and providing appropriate support could further help users integrate digital tools into their everyday activities.
Making digital innovation work for farmers
The SIP9 Open Day demonstrated that digital tools can provide valuable support for machinery management, investment planning and cooperative decision-making. But it also showed that adoption depends on more than functionality. Tools need to be simple, reliable, well connected and relevant to the practical questions farmers and CUMAs face.
By bringing together digital solutions, real-world examples and the experiences of farmers and advisors, SIP9 contributes to Farmtopia’s wider goal of making digital innovation more accessible and useful across European agriculture.
Ultimately, the value of digital farming lies not simply in having more data, but in turning that information into better decisions, stronger discussions and more confident choices on the farm.