July 4, 2023 | Teagasc, Ireland | Source
A new digital sustainability platform called AgNav has been jointly developed by Teagasc, ICBF, and Bord Bia, with support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. AgNav aims to provide farmers with accurate and verifiable farm-specific data to aid decision-making and support efforts to address climate action in agriculture. The platform has undergone trials with Teagasc advisors and Signpost demonstration farms, and is currently in use by a team of Teagasc Signpost Advisors, who collaborate with farmers to create tailored action plans for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
AgNav aggregates data from various sources, including the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme audit and the ICBF database, to build a comprehensive overview of farm operations. It facilitates a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the farm, which calculates greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions and other environmental indicators. The platform offers features like 'Assess,' 'Forecast,' and 'Action Planner' to provide farmers with actionable insights into their farm's environmental performance and the impact of mitigation strategies.
Initially, AgNav will be available to Irish beef and dairy farmers participating in the Teagasc Signpost advisory program, ensuring farmers maintain control over their farm-related data within the platform.