The generic question seems rethorical at first glance, as it is obvious that innovative, environmentally friendly and economically viable solutions would unvaluably support the agri-food sector, and specifically that linked to the storage of raw crops. However, there are specificities related to the preservation of tubers and grains that require particular attention, e.g. potential spoilage, deterioration, contamination, moisture, sprouting risks from the post-harvest handling to the inland wharehousing or silos conservation, transport and finally export and processing.
It is within this focused perspective that the DODILog project partners CIRCOE and VIVES conducted a deep investigation integrating three complementary components:
- a stakeholder consultation with 150 actors across Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany, mapping the profiles and quality preservation needs of operators across the value chains;
- SWOT and PESTLE analyses identifying the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for quality preservation in each sector; and
- a prioritisation matrix indicating where DODILOG should direct its development efforts first.
A cross-sector conclusion drawn from the research is that data integration and feedback loops during each phase of the chain represent the greatest untapped value lever in both cases. DODILOG's development work should therefore prioritise and foster the deployment of continuous monitoring and automated dection tools, traceability platforms, AI-based risk models and decision-support systems that can be deployed at the most critical nodes identified.
As for the potential applicability of new technologies, big investments are naturally expected to provide more significant changes. However, the approach adopted by the DODILog consortium recommends that starting with small-scale affordable demonstrators such as the ones tested transnationally by the project with shared human and financial resources could represent the best springborad and pre-condition to leverage wider adoption, especially since cost has been confirmed as being one of the major barriers to the uptake of novel equipment, advanced applications, pioneering methodologies.
Part of the article is a direct excerpt from the report "Prioritisation Analysis of Quality Preservation Needs for Operators in the Cereals and Potatoes Sectors" - Authors: Muriel Andurand (CIRCOE) and Merel Meersman (VIVES)
DODILog PRIORITISATION ANALYSIS OF QUALITY PRESERVATION NEEDS FOR OPERATORS IN THE CEREALS AND POTATOES SECTORSs
