Smart Farming is a development that emphasizes the use of information and communication technology in the cyber-physical farm management cycle. New technologies such as the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing are expected to leverage this development and introduce more robots and artificial intelligence in farming. This is encompassed by the phenomenon of Big Data, massive volumes of data with a wide variety that can be captured, analysed and used for decision-making. This review aims to gain insight into the state-of-the-art of Big Data applications in Smart Farming and identify the related socio-economic challenges to be addressed. Following a structured approach, a conceptual framework for analysiswas developed that can also be used for future studies on this topic. The review shows that the scope of Big Data applications in Smart Farming goes beyond primary production; it is influencing the entire food supply chain. Big data are being used to provide predictive insights in farming operations, drive real-time operational decisions, and redesign business processes for game-changing business models. Several authors therefore suggest that Big Data will cause major shifts in roles and power relationsamong different players in current food supply chain networks. The landscape of stakeholders exhibits an interesting gamebetween powerful tech companies, venture capitalists and often small startups and new entrants. At the same time there are several public institutions that publish open data, under the condition that the privacy of persons must be guaranteed. The future of Smart Farming may unravel in a continuum of two extreme scenarios: 1) closed, proprietary systems in which the farmer is part of a highly integrated food supply chain or 2) open, collaborative systems inwhich the farmer and every other stakeholder in the chain network is flexible in choosing business partners as well for the technology as for the food production side. The further development of data and application infrastructures (platforms and standards) and their institutional embedment will play a crucial role in the battle between these scenarios. From a socio-economic perspective, the authors propose to give research priority to organizational issues concerning governance issues and suitable business models for data sharing in different supply chain scenarios.

1. Big Data and Smart Farming
Sjaak Wolfert
Arable – Future Farming seminar, GFIA Europe, Utrecht, 10 May 2017

2. BIG
DATA
Advancements in Farming
CONTROL
SENSING
& MONITORING
ANALYSIS
& PLANNING
SMART
SMART
SMART

3. Involving the entire supply chain and beyond
Smart Farming
Smart Logistics
tracking & tracing
Domotics Health
Fitness/Well-being

4. Redefining Industry Boundaries
3. Smart, connected product
+
+
+
2. Smart Product
1. Product
Adapted from: Porter and Heppelmann, Harvard Business Review, 2014)

5. 5. System of systems
farm
management
system
farm
equipment
system
weather
data
system
irrigation
system
seed
optimizing
system
field
sensors
irrigation
nodes
irrigation
application
seed
optimization
application
farm
performance
database
seed
database
weather data
application
weather
forecasts
weather
maps
rain, humidity,
temperature sensors
farm
equipment
system
planters
tillers
combine
harvesters
4. Product system
Adapted from: Porter and Heppelmann, Harvard Business Review, 2014)

6. 5. System of systems
farm
management
system
farm
equipment
system
weather
data
system
irrigation
system
seed
optimizing
system
field
sensors
irrigation
nodes
irrigation
application
seed
optimization
application
farm
performance
database
seed
database
weather data
application
weather
forecasts
weather
maps
rain, humidity,
temperature sensors
farm
equipment
system
planters
tillers
combine
harvesters
4. Product system
Your company

7. 5. System of systems
farm
management
system
farm
equipment
system
weather
data
system
irrigation
system
seed
optimizing
system
field
sensors
irrigation
nodes
irrigation
application
seed
optimization
application
farm
performance
database
seed
database
weather data
application
weather
forecasts
weather
maps
rain, humidity,
temperature sensors
farm
equipment
system
planters
tillers
combine
harvesters
4. Product system
Your company
Farmer:
How many platforms must
I use?
Developer:
On how many platforms
should I offer my
solution?
Platform owner:
How many connections do
I need to maintain?

8. The battlefield of IoT, Big Data and Farming
Tech
Companies
Tech
Start-ups
Tech
Start-ups
Farm
Farm
Farm
Farm
Farming
Agri-
Business
Ag Tech
Farm
Venture
Capitalists
Data
Start-ups
Data
Start-ups
Farm

9. Governance and business issues
9
Code of Conduct

10. Ag Start-ups in the USA
10

11. New Business Models in data-driven innovations
11
 Basic data sales
 Product innovation
 Commodity swap
 Value net creation
 Value chain integration
Source: Arent van 't Spijker: "The New Oil - using
innovative business models to turn data into profit“, 2014

12. Basic data sales
How does it work?
- A ‘box’ collects all data
- Data is stored in a cloud
- Data is being marketed/invested
- Farmer gets a share of profit
“Farmers think their trust is violated”
Their data goes to multinationals that promise
high future yields based on big data,
while farmers have to pay for everything

13. Commodity swap - data for data
Many farmsIndividual farm
Data
Benchmark
Analytics

14. Value Chain Integration: FieldScripts
PRESCRIPTIVE FARMING
based on PRECISION
AGRICTULTURE

15. Farmers Business Network – value net creation
• Owned by farmers
• Funded by Google
Ventures
2015:
7 million acres ground
Assessment of 500 seeds and
16 crops
Costs for farmer: $ 500 / year.

16. Wrap-up and conclusions
 Agri-Food chains become more
technology/data-driven
 Probably causes major shifts in
roles and power relations
among different players in agri-
food chain networks
 Governance and Business
Models are key issues
Two extreme scenarios:
1. Strong integrated supply chain
2. Open collaboration network
Reality somewhere in between!

17. Thanks for your
attention
sjaak.wolfert@wur.nl
nl.linkedin.com/in/sjaakwolfert/
Twitter: @sjaakwolfert
http://www.slideshare.net/SjaakWolfert
17