Are you ready to shape the future of agriculture using cutting-edge technology? Join the Precision Farming Hackathon and dive into solving real-world challenges with AI-powered solutions. This is your opportunity to combine innovation, technology, and creativity to address some of agriculture’s most pressing issues.

Hackathon Overview

Plan4all challenge 2: AI-Powered Solutions for Precision Agriculture
Your mission is to create groundbreaking AI-driven systems that enhance crop monitoring and weather forecasting in agriculture. By integrating satellite imagery, local weather data, and sensor inputs, participants will focus on improving prediction accuracy and tackling challenges like cloud cover and data integration.

Why Participate?

Develop In-Demand Skills: Gain hands-on experience with machine learning, AI, and geospatial data analysis while addressing real-world agricultural problems.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry leaders, mentors, and like-minded innovators passionate about technology and sustainability.

Non-Paid Internship Opportunity: Winners will have the chance to participate in a three- to six-month internship with Plan4all, a renowned non-profit organization specializing in open data and geospatial solutions.

• Duration: Flexible between three to six months, depending on the student’s availability and project progress.
• Academic Growth: Opportunities for paid collaboration on master’s or doctoral theses, supporting both academic and professional development.
• Reimbursement: Travel expenses will be reimbursed for in-situ meetings required during the internship.

Career Growth: Impress potential employers or collaborators with your innovative thinking and technical skills.

Key Challenge Focus: AI-Powered Cloud Removal for Satellite Imagery

Problem: Cloud cover often obstructs satellite imagery, limiting its use in agriculture. Accurate, cloud-free data is essential for calculating vegetation indices (e.g., NDVI) and assessing crop health.

Existing Solution: Advanced AI models like UnCRtainTS and U-Net have successfully reconstructed cloud-free satellite images by integrating radar (Sentinel-1) and optical (Sentinel-2) data. These models deliver actionable insights into crop health and stress levels.

Your Task:

• Evaluate how well current cloud removal models perform in Central Europe, with its unique agricultural conditions like high seasonal cloud cover and diverse crop types.
• Fine-tune and enhance these models to work with region-specific datasets, improving their accuracy and efficiency for real-time agricultural decision-making.
• Develop smart, actionable tools that empower farmers to optimize crop management and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

How to Join

1. Visit the Precision Farming Hackathon website.
2. Register by 26 January 2025.
3. Join the Pre-Hack Webinar on 15 January 2025 (registration here: Webinar Registration)
4. Get ready to innovate and make a difference!

Who Can Apply?

We’re seeking:

This is an individual hackathon, meaning you’ll compete solo on your chosen challenge.

Ready to Hack the Future of Agriculture?

Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of something transformative. With AI and precision farming, the possibilities are endless. Register now and help farmers optimize productivity, adapt to environmental changes, and build a more sustainable future.

On November 18th and 19th, 2024, the Kick-Off Meeting of the FOCAL project took place in Darmstadt, marking the official launch of this initiative, which includes the participation of the Plan4all association.

The FOCAL project, part of the HORIZON-RIA funding framework, is a 36-month endeavor involving 15 partners from the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Belgium, Spain, and Greece.

The primary goal of the FOCAL project is to develop a cutting-edge platform that combines intelligent workflow management with high-performance computing infrastructure, including advanced data management, and connectivity to artificial intelligence (AI) tools. This platform will enable fast and efficient training and validation of AI models while supporting the design of workflows to enhance understanding of local-scale climate change impacts.

The project focuses on two pilot projects: urban planning and forestry. The forestry pilot will be implemented in the Czech Republic with the active involvement of the Plan4All association.

In addition, the FOCAL project will generate new insights into essential Earth system processes by integrating advanced remote sensing technologies with innovative methodologies. By leveraging a diverse range of remote sensing datasets, the FOCAL project will improve climate modeling, deliver more accurate climate predictions and provide a more comprehensive understanding of interactions within Earth systems.

The Agri-Digital Growth (ADG) project, led by CREA and supported by Plan4all as a partner, will feature prominently at EIMA International 2024 in Bologna from November 6–10, 2024. Highlighting digital and precision farming, the ADG team will launch the Precision Farming Ecosystem on November 7, 2024 in the Notturno Room, a collaboration hub that aims to boost digital skills, innovation, and sustainable practices across Central Europe’s agrifood sector.

Supported by Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE, the ADG project addresses critical challenges in digital agriculture. The launch event will include presentations from industry experts, including FederUnacoma, EIT Digital, CREA, and regional representatives from Veneto and Emilia Romagna regions, who will discuss market trends, knowledge transfer (AKIS), and the Precision Farming Specialist initiative.

We invite stakeholders, agricultural innovators, and anyone interested in the future of sustainable agriculture to join, network, and engage with leading experts in digital agriculture. Secure your attendance by registering before October 31st here​.

Plan4all recently participated in the GEO Symposium and Open Data/Open Knowledge (ODOK) Workshop 2024 in Hangzhou, China, where it presented several innovative projects that demonstrate the organization’s leadership in geospatial data and Earth observation technologies.

Plan4all showcased the trans4num project, which emphasizes sustainable agricultural nutrient management through digital innovations. The upcoming trans4num INSPIRE Hackathon 2024, aimed at fostering collaboration and driving advancements in precision agriculture, was another key topic of discussion. Among the highlighted projects was also PoliRuralPlus, which focuses on improving rural-urban linkages through the integration of GeoAI and spatial predictors.

During the symposium, Karel Charvat from Plan4all had important meetings with the Tsinghua University, a partner in the trans4num project, further strengthening international collaborations. Additionally, Karel met with representatives from Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences AIR-CAS, key partner in the upcoming BioClima project, set to launch next year. BioClima will focus on international cooperation on improving monitoring for better integrated climate and biodiversity approaches, using environmental and Earth observation.

These discussions and presentations reflect Plan4all’s commitment to leveraging open data and Earth observation technologies to tackle pressing global issues. For more details on the Symposium visit GEO Symposium 2024​.

Video presentation: Geo AI

We are happy to inform you about the AGRI-DIGITAL GROWTH project kick off. Plan4all will lead in developing precision farming courses and establishing an innovative living lab, driving forward agricultural technology and collaboration.

Stay tuned for updates on our journey to enhance digital agriculture!

https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/agri-digital-growth

Please find below the trans4num poster presenting all the main facts about the project in a visual way.