Platform for Helping small and medium farmers to Incorporate digital Technology for equal Opportunities

PHITO (Platform for Helping small and medium farmers to Incorporate digital Technology for equal Opportunities) introduces a ground-breaking digital tool specifically for small and medium farmers (SMFs) that are currently unable to benefit from the digital innovation increasingly adopted by larger producers. The platform connects data and people through a low-barrier app with two main purposes: (1) offering free data-driven farm advice on soil, water and crops tailored to SMFs (global element), and (2) improving synergic collaboration between farmers, consumers, and service providers while strengthening the local Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS ) (local element). PHITO distinguishes itself from previous initiatives as a key example of frugal innovation , by downscaling the complexity of digital farming and making smart use of existing open geo-databases (through public domain data harvesting), and embedding this in the various local food systems and networks. Through co-creation together with SMFs and numerous local farmer representatives, PHITO will help to bridge the digital divide by providing better access to information and local networking, helping SMFs to improve their decision-making processes and consequently their economic and environmental performances.