GreenFieldData

IoRT Data Management and Analysis for Sustainable Agriculture

Project Summary: GreenFieldData (EU4GreenFieldData)

GreenFieldData, formally titled “IoRT Data Management and Analysis for Sustainable Agriculture,” is a prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Joint Doctorate program funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe framework. The project aims to bridge the critical gap between Data Engineering, Data Science, and Sustainable Agriculture by leveraging the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT). By focusing on the “green and digital twin transition,” the initiative seeks to modernize European farming practices through high-tech, data-driven solutions that address climate change and socio-economic resource constraints.

The research focus of GreenFieldData is centered on developing a human-centric approach to the entire agricultural data value chain—from collection and cleaning to advanced analysis and prescriptive decision-making. Doctoral candidates within the network work on cutting-edge technologies, including autonomous robotic fleets, multimodal sensing, and generative AI abstractions. These tools are designed to optimize crop protection, reduce pesticide use, and manage resource allocation (such as water and fertilizer) in real-time. By integrating stream processing and machine learning, the project enables more resilient farming systems capable of adapting to sudden environmental shifts.

A core pillar of the project is its unique “triple-i” approach: interdisciplinary, inter-sectoral, and international. The consortium mobilizes 14 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) across a network of 12 academic main beneficiaries and over 20 associated partners from 7 EU countries. Each researcher participates in a double-degree program, receiving co-supervision from two different international universities and completing “secondments” at industrial partners. This structure ensures that theoretical research is directly validated by real-world industrial challenges, significantly boosting the employability of the researchers in the digital and agricultural sectors.

Ultimately, GreenFieldData serves as an innovation hub that aligns with the EU’s Strategic Plan for 2025–2027 and the European Green Deal. By training a new generation of “creative and autonomous intellectual risk-takers,” the project provides the next-generation operational workforce with the tools necessary to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Through these efforts, the initiative strengthens the EU’s agricultural competitiveness while promoting sustainable, low-input practices for the common good.

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