A group of farmers based on the Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry who took part in an EU-backed pilot project have reduced their fertiliser use by an average of 10%.

The Ploutos project, overseen by the Dingle Hub, sought to test smart farming technologies on farms and demonstrate the benefit for the wider agri-food community.

It is among 11 pilot projects taking place with farmers in countries across the EU seeking to create innovate solutions to address climate change while supporting the viability of farms.

Farmers

During the west Kerry project, weather stations were placed on each of the 30 participating farms to measure rainfall, air temperature and soil temperature.

Two sensors were used to measure the moisture content of the soil on the farms, while sensors were also placed in slurry tanks and milk tanks.

The data collected from each farm was sent to Met Éireann, Teagasc’s PastureBase platform and Kerry-based digital technology company, NetFeasa.

Farmers could then access the information from their farm through a dedicated smartphone app.

Several of the farmers used all of the recorded data to make decisions about grassland management, slurry and fertiliser application.

Individualised grass growth prediction models were also made available to these farmers.

Sensors were used to collect data on soil moisture and from milk and slurry tanks on the farms

Interestingly, mapping revealed a lower acreage on most farms which led to a reduced need for chemical fertiliser and therefore cut emissions.

The mapping also provided information on areas available for habitats and biodiversity.

A series of workshops allowed the participating farmers to build relationships and exchange ideas and views.

Sean Kennedy, a dairy farmer based in Dún Síon, Dingle, hosted the final workshop of the pilot project this week.

farmers
Sean Kennedy

He said that the soil sensors on the farm helped to pin point to optimum time to spread fertiliser in order to get the best return.

Like all farmers, rainfall and weather data is particularly important to the farmers in west Kerry.

The farmers who took part in the pilot project have indicated their willingness to contribute towards the cost of more robust weather measurements.

It is understood that LEADER funding is being sought to purchase high-quality sensors which could provide more accurate data for all areas of the Dingle Peninsula.

Weather station installed on Sean Kennedy’s farm

The pilot project has also supported a range of existing and emerging on-farm businesses.

This includes expanding and diversifying product ranges, installing milk vending machines and developing agri-tourism opportunities such as guided walks, glamping and educational tours.

A new sustainable food brand, Bia Dingle, was also launched in October 2022.

Fertiliser

Dinny Galvin, agricultural liaison officer with the Dingle Hub, told Agriland that the project had resulted in farmers reducing their fertiliser use by an average of 10%.

Galvin, who is a dairy farmer, used the data from his farm to cut his fertiliser use by 50% resulting in savings of €13,000.

According to PastureBase, grass measuring has the potential to save farmers between €300-400/ha/year.

Dinny Galvin, agricultural liaison officer with the Dingle Hub

“There’s no point in spreading excessive fertiliser if you don’t need the grass or if you are trampling the grass back into the ground,” Galvin said.

The farmer said that slurry which was once considered a “waste product” is now being used to grow “a lot more grass”.

“We’ve cracked a nut here. We’ve shown that technology has a place going forward especially for emissions and educating the farmers.

“We have this ‘living lab’ to offer companies through the Dingle Hub, the team are great but you need the farmers.

“You have to go back to the farmers at the end of the day to trial all these things. I think that we are well placed to do that,” he said.

And it appears that this is already coming to fruition as a private company has approached the group seeking 15 dairy farmers to carry out grass measurements on their farms over the coming months.

The data, which the company will pay the farmers to collect, will be used to compare with satellite measurements of grass.