Assigning a value to ecosystem services

The DAKIS (Digital Agricultural Knowledge and Information System) consortium stands for the digital transformation of agriculture, in which biodiversity, ecosystem services and economic success go hand in hand. The aim is to provide farmers, advisors and policymakers with innovative tools to combine environmental and climate protection with food security and economic stability. A diverse, resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape is being created with the help of state-of-the-art technologies and strong networking between all stakeholders.

Technology for more sustainability in the field

DAKIS is developing a digital platform that uses state-of-the-art technologies such as drones, satellites, sensors and artificial intelligence. This platform collects and analyzes real-time data from various sources - from weather data and soil sensors to market data. At its heart is an intelligent decision support system that provides farmers with site-specific, data-based recommendations for cultivation, management and agri-environmental measures. This allows measures such as flower strips, hedges or insect walls to be implemented specifically where they bring the greatest ecological and economic benefits.

The key functions of the DAKIS project are as follows:

Central functions of DAKIS:

• Integration of ecosystem services: DAKIS makes services such as pollination, soil protection or water retention measurable and assessable - and gives them an economic value in farm management for the first time.
• Real-time decision support: The platform offers practical recommendations for sustainable production systems that are tailored to the respective farm structure and site conditions.
• Simulation and forecasting: Models and AI can be used to simulate different scenarios in order to predict the impact of management decisions on yield, biodiversity and climate resilience.
• Networking and communication: DAKIS promotes exchange between farmers, advisory services, science, politics and society - for the joint development of viable solutions.
• Scalability and adaptability: The system has a modular structure and can be applied to both individual farms and entire regions.
• Sustainability assessment: DAKIS makes it possible to document, evaluate and continuously optimize the ecological and economic effects of measures.

Highly modern technology for sustainable agricultural systems

In the first phase of the project, innovative sensor systems, digital models and new cultivation methods were developed and successfully tested in test regions such as Brandenburg and Bavaria. Farmers are already benefiting from concrete, site-specific recommendations for action and an intuitive user interface, which also makes it easier to apply for funding.

With the start of the second funding phase (DAKIS2) from 2025, the focus will be on large-scale application and automation:

• Successful measures such as hedges, flower strips and insect walls (known as beetle banks) will be scaled up beyond pilot regions.
• Automated decision support and real-time data ensure precise, localized recommendations.
• Interfaces to digital funding applications reduce bureaucracy and facilitate the implementation of environmental measures.
• New evaluation approaches and monitoring tools make ecological and economic synergies visible and usable.

Transdisciplinary approach for the agriculture of the future

DAKIS brings together nine renowned partners from science and practice, including the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy, the University of Bonn and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. Development is carried out in close cooperation with farmers, advisors and political stakeholders - for practical, user-friendly and economically viable solutions.