Diverfarming · Project

Crop Diversification Tools That Cut Farm Costs and Boost Soil Health Across Europe

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Imagine you're a farmer growing the same single crop year after year — your soil gets tired, you need more fertilizer, and one bad season can wipe you out. This project figured out how to mix and rotate different crops in smart combinations tailored to your local climate, whether you're in Spain, Finland, or Hungary. They tested these combinations on real farms across 6 European climate zones, built a free app that tells you which crop mix works best for your land, and even designed a new tillage machine that's gentler on the soil. The result: healthier soil, lower input costs, and less risk because you're not betting everything on one crop.

By the numbers

EU pedoclimatic regions tested

consortium partners

countries represented

industry partners in consortium

SMEs in consortium

total project deliverables

50%

industry ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

European farmers stuck in monoculture face declining soil health, rising input costs for fertilizers and pesticides, and growing economic risk from depending on a single crop. Meanwhile, food processors and supply chains aren't set up to handle diversified crop outputs, creating a bottleneck even when farmers want to switch. There's no easy way for a farmer to know which crop combinations actually work for their specific climate and soil conditions.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a validated tillage prototype with sensors and cameras for sustainable mulch-till farming, a free web-based Decision Support Tool (SusDiver DST) that recommends optimal crop diversification for any EU climate zone, a sustainability indicators toolkit for measuring soil and crop health, an operational toolbox for value chain adaptation, and simulation routines for carbon sequestration in diversified systems — 34 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Agricultural machinery manufacturers looking to add smart tillage equipment to their product lineAgri-tech companies building farm decision support or crop planning softwareFood cooperatives and processors adapting supply chains for diversified crop inputsAgricultural consultancies advising farms on sustainable practices and EU complianceRegional farming associations seeking tested crop diversification strategies for their climate zone

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Agricultural machinery

SME

Target: Tillage and soil management equipment manufacturers

If you are a tillage equipment manufacturer dealing with farmer demand for machines that reduce soil compaction while handling crop residue — this project developed and validated a prototype mulch-till machine equipped with sensors and cameras. The prototype was tested in dedicated field trials (a 14th case study) by machinery partner Industras David, producing data to optimize the design for commercial production.

Agri-tech and farm management software

any

Target: Decision support tool and precision agriculture software companies

If you are an agri-tech company looking for validated crop planning algorithms — this project built the SusDiver DST, a web-based and free app that guides farmers to select the best diversified cropping system, low-input practices, and machinery for their specific pedoclimatic region. It was tested across 6 EU climate zones with real field data from 26 consortium partners.

Food processing and supply chain

mid-size

Target: Food processors, cooperatives, and value chain organizers

If you are a food processor or agricultural cooperative struggling to adapt your supply chain when farms shift from monoculture to diversified crops — this project created an operational toolbox with guidelines for production planning and value chain negotiation. It covers how to reorganize downstream logistics, access new markets, and reduce economy risks when adopting diversified crop products.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt these diversification tools?

The SusDiver Decision Support Tool was developed as a free web-based app, so access cost is zero. For the tillage prototype, pricing would depend on negotiations with machinery partner Industras David. Based on available project data, no specific licensing fees or subscription costs are published.

Has this been tested at industrial or commercial farm scale?

Yes — the diversified cropping systems were tested in field case studies for major crops across 6 EU pedoclimatic regions (Mediterranean, Atlantic, Continental, Pannonian, Boreal). The tillage prototype was validated in a dedicated 14th case study on Industras David's experimentation fields. These were real farm conditions, not lab simulations.

Who owns the IP and can I license the technology?

The project was funded as an RIA (Research and Innovation Action) coordinated by Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. IP would be distributed among the 26 consortium partners according to their grant agreement. Contact the coordinator for licensing terms on specific outputs like the tillage prototype or DST software.

Does this meet EU regulatory requirements for sustainable farming?

The project directly addresses EU rural development policy and was funded under the RUR-06-2016 topic on crop diversification. The toolkit of sustainability indicators was designed to measure soil quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem services — metrics increasingly required under EU Common Agricultural Policy green conditions.

How long would it take to implement on my farm or in my product line?

The SusDiver DST app is ready to use immediately — it guides you through selecting a diversified cropping system tailored to your region. For the tillage prototype, timeline would depend on commercialization by the manufacturer. The project ran from 2017 to 2022, so all tools have been through their full development and testing cycle.

Can this integrate with my existing farm management systems?

The SusDiver DST was built as a standalone web-based tool and free app. Based on available project data, specific API integrations with third-party farm management platforms are not described. The sustainability indicators toolkit could complement existing monitoring systems as an add-on assessment layer.

What kind of support is available for adopting these practices?

The project produced 34 deliverables including operational guidelines, a production planning toolbox, and the DST app. The consortium includes 13 industry partners across 8 countries who could provide regional implementation support. Contact the coordinator at Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena for guidance on accessing these resources.

Consortium

Who built it

The Diverfarming consortium is unusually strong for a research project, with 26 partners across 8 European countries and an impressive 50% industry ratio (13 industry partners). This means half the consortium comes from the business side — including 4 SMEs and a machinery manufacturer (Industras David) that actually built and tested hardware. The geographic spread across Spain, Germany, Italy, Finland, Hungary, Netherlands, UK, and Switzerland ensures the results aren't limited to one climate or market. For a business looking to adopt these tools, this wide partnership network means there are likely local contacts and tested solutions relevant to your specific region.

UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE CARTAGENACoordinator · ES
THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETERparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATIONparticipant · UK
BARILLA G. E R. FRATELLI SPAparticipant · IT
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
LUONNONVARAKESKUSparticipant · FI
UNIVERSITAT TRIERparticipant · DE
UNIVERSIDAD DE CORDOBAparticipant · ES
EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICHparticipant · CH
WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITYparticipant · NL
ASOCIACION REGIONAL DE EMPRESAS AGRICOLAS Y GANADERAS DE LA COMUNIDAD AUTONOMA DE MURCIA (ADEA-ASJA)participant · ES
CONSIGLIO PER LA RICERCA IN AGRICOLTURA E L'ANALISI DELL'ECONOMIA AGRARIAparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DELLA TUSCIAparticipant · IT
PECSI TUDOMANYEGYETEM - UNIVERSITY OF PECSparticipant · HU

How to reach the team

Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (Spain) — reach out via their research office or the Diverfarming project website contact page

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE CARTAGENA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the Diverfarming team or a detailed brief on the tillage prototype or SusDiver DST? SciTransfer can arrange a direct connection.

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