SEACRIFOG · Project

Connecting European and African Data Systems for Food Security and Carbon Monitoring

environmentPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

Imagine trying to track crop failures and greenhouse gas emissions across Africa, but every country measures things differently and the data sits in disconnected silos. SEACRIFOG brought together 17 partners from 12 countries to figure out what needs to be measured, how to make the data systems talk to each other, and how to train people to use them. They built a prototype data portal and a roadmap so that European and African research stations can share climate and agriculture data in a common format.

By the numbers

consortium partners across Europe and Africa

countries involved in the cooperation

EUR 1,999,890

EU contribution for infrastructure development

total project deliverables produced

industry participation ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies working in African agriculture, carbon markets, or climate adaptation lack reliable, standardized environmental and food security data. Measurement methods vary by country, data systems don't connect to each other, and there is no common way to verify the quality of greenhouse gas or crop monitoring data across the continent.

The solution

What was built

SEACRIFOG produced a prototype African e-Infrastructure with a Brokering Registry for connecting disparate data systems, design specifications for an interoperable data portal, GHG measurement training programs, data quality control protocols, and a roadmap for making European and African agricultural and climate research infrastructures fully interoperable. In total, 25 deliverables were completed.

Audience

Who needs this

Carbon credit verification companies operating offset projects in AfricaAgTech firms building food security early warning and crop monitoring systemsEnvironmental consultancies advising on African climate adaptation programsDevelopment finance institutions funding agricultural infrastructure in AfricaEarth observation companies integrating ground-truth data with satellite monitoring

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Carbon Markets & Offsetting

mid-size

Target: Carbon credit verification and trading companies operating in Africa

If you are a carbon credit company struggling with unreliable greenhouse gas data from African projects — SEACRIFOG developed requirements for an interoperable data portal and a prototype African e-Infrastructure with a Brokering Registry that could standardize how GHG measurements are collected and shared across 12 countries. This means more credible baselines for your offset projects.

Agricultural Intelligence & Remote Sensing

enterprise

Target: AgTech firms providing food security early warning systems

If you are an agricultural data company building early warning systems for crop failure — SEACRIFOG identified the essential parameters needed for science-based food and nutrition security strategies, including early warning systems. Their interoperable data portal design connects climate and agricultural research data across Europe and Africa, giving your models access to ground-truth observations from 17 partner institutions.

Environmental Consulting

any

Target: Consultancies advising on African development and climate adaptation projects

If you are a consulting firm advising governments or development agencies on climate adaptation in Africa — SEACRIFOG produced a roadmap for fully interoperable research infrastructures in agricultural and climate research between the EU and Africa. Their 25 deliverables include data quality control workshops and training materials that your teams can reference when designing monitoring programs.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access the data portal or infrastructure?

SEACRIFOG was a Coordination and Support Action funded with EUR 1,999,890 in public money. The prototype e-Infrastructure and Brokering Registry were developed as open research tools, not commercial products. Access to the roadmap and design specifications is likely freely available through the project website and deliverables.

Can this scale to cover commercial agricultural or carbon monitoring operations?

The project delivered a prototype implementation of an African e-Infrastructure with a Brokering Registry, plus design requirements for an interoperable data portal. These are architectural blueprints and early prototypes, not production-scale systems. Scaling would require significant additional investment in infrastructure and data partnerships.

Who owns the intellectual property?

As a publicly funded CSA project with 0 industry partners and 0 SMEs in the consortium, IP is held by the 17 academic and research partners. The outputs are primarily roadmaps, training materials, and data standards — not patentable technologies. These are typically made openly available under EU open access rules.

How does this help with regulatory compliance for carbon reporting?

SEACRIFOG identified essential parameters for science-based climate change mitigation strategies and developed data quality control protocols through dedicated workshops. While not a compliance tool itself, the standardized measurement approaches and interoperable data formats could support companies needing verified GHG data from African operations.

What concrete tools were actually delivered?

The project delivered a prototype African e-Infrastructure including a Brokering Registry, design specifications for an interoperable data portal, training materials from GHG measurement workshops at ILRI campus, and data management quality control protocols. These are foundational building blocks, not turnkey commercial tools.

Is there ongoing support or has the project ended?

SEACRIFOG closed in August 2020. The 17-partner consortium across 12 countries may continue related work through successor projects. The Thünen Institute in Germany coordinated the effort and would be the primary contact for follow-up on infrastructure developments.

Consortium

Who built it

The SEACRIFOG consortium of 17 partners across 12 countries is entirely academic and research-driven, with 9 research organizations, 5 universities, and 3 other entities — zero industry partners and zero SMEs. This 0% industry ratio is a clear signal that commercial application was not a priority. The geographic spread is notable, spanning Germany, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Cape Verde, which gives strong coverage of both European research systems and African data needs. For a business looking to leverage these outputs, expect open-access research deliverables rather than licensed technology, and plan to invest in productization yourself.

JOHANN HEINRICH VON THUENEN-INSTITUT, BUNDESFORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUER LAENDLICHE RAEUME, WALD UND FISCHEREICoordinator · DE
LEIBNIZ INSTITUT FUER TROPOSPHAERENFORSCHUNG e.V.participant · DE
International Livestock Research Instituteparticipant · KE
USTAV VYZKUMU GLOBALNI ZMENY AV CR VVIparticipant · CZ
LUNDS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD, OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLINparticipant · IE
INTEGRATED CARBON OBSERVATION SYSTEM EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURECONSORTIUMparticipant · FI
NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATIONparticipant · ZA
UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND JOHANNESBURGparticipant · ZA
KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIEthirdparty · DE
WEST AFRICAN SCIENCE SERVICES CENTRE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTED LAND USEparticipant · GH
FONDAZIONE CENTRO EURO-MEDITERRANEOSUI CAMBIAMENTI CLIMATICIparticipant · IT
INSTITUTO DO MARparticipant · CV
HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR OZEANFORSCHUNG KIEL (GEOMAR)participant · DE
NORCE RESEARCH ASparticipant · NO
UNIVERSITETET I BERGENparticipant · NO

How to reach the team

Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (Thünen Institute), Germany's federal research institute for rural areas, forestry and fisheries — contact via their institutional website or the CORDIS contact form.

Order a report on this consortium See JOHANN HEINRICH VON THUENEN-INSTITUT, BUNDESFORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUER LAENDLICHE RAEUME, WALD UND FISCHEREI profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

SciTransfer can help you navigate the 25 deliverables, identify the specific data standards and infrastructure designs relevant to your operations, and facilitate introductions to the research teams behind the prototype e-Infrastructure.

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