Key Takeaways:
- Effective data management is becoming essential in agriculture, as climate change, sustainability, and productivity challenges increase.
- Digital agronomy platforms are helping organizations centralize, analyze, and act on data collected from field trials, experiments, and crop research.
- Doriane, a French company with 40 years of experience in agricultural software, has developed the platform Bloomeo to support innovation in agriculture.
- As the agriculture sector grows more data-driven, the ability to manage and leverage data is becoming increasingly critical for organizations of all sizes.
The Growing Need for Data Management in Agriculture
Agriculture is increasingly relying on data-driven approaches to respond to evolving challenges such as sustainability, climate change, and food production. In this context, data management has become a fundamental aspect of agricultural research and innovation. Digital agronomy platforms are playing an important role in helping agricultural organizations manage and analyze data, enabling more informed decision-making.
Doriane, a French company specializing in agricultural software, is one example of a firm working to address this growing demand. With four decades of experience, the company provides tools that help seed companies, biocontrol developers, and research institutions manage the large volumes of data they collect from field trials and experiments. We had the chance to sit down with the company’s CEO Louis Gauthier & their head of marketing, Romain Royer.
“The importance of data in agriculture is well understood, but the real challenge lies in how to effectively manage and analyze it,” said Louis Gauthier, CEO of Doriane. Digital platforms, he noted, provide ways to collect and interpret this data to support decision-making.
Digital Agronomy Platforms: Supporting Complex Data Needs
As agricultural research becomes more complex, with the need to address a range of factors such as soil conditions, climate variability, and crop performance, the role of digital agronomy platforms has expanded. These platforms allow organizations to gather, store, and analyze data from multiple sources, providing a more comprehensive view of their research results.
Doriane’s platform, Bloomeo Biosolutions, is designed to help companies in the biostimulant and biocontrol sectors manage data more effectively. The platform allows users to capture data throughout the research process, centralizing it for easier access, analysis, and proof. “Biostimulant and biocontrol companies face challenges in understanding the conditions that optimize their products’ performance,” Mr Gauthier explained. “Data management platforms like Bloomeo help centralize that information, making it easier to analyze and improve outcomes.”
Data-Driven Decision Making in Agronomy
In agriculture, research and development can span years or even decades. As a result, it is increasingly important for companies to use data to anticipate future challenges, such as climate change or shifts in consumer demand. Data management platforms provide tools for analyzing research data over time, helping companies predict how their products will perform in changing conditions.
According to Gauthier, Seed companies, for example, need to consider how the seeds they develop today will perform in environments 10 or 15 years from now. To address this, many companies are incorporating predictive modeling into their research, relying on machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze large data sets and identify trends.
“Data is an integral part of shaping agricultural innovation,” Romain Royer noted. “Platforms like Bloomeo allow companies to use data not only for current research but also to plan for the future.”
Challenges in Managing Agricultural Data
Digital agronomy platforms are helping to address the increasing need to analyze large volumes of data by offering solutions that make data management more accessible. Doriane’s Bloomeo platform, for example, is designed to help companies without in-house data expertise centralize and analyze their data in a cost-effective manner.
“There’s a wide range in how companies handle data,” Gauthier explained. “Larger organizations often have the resources to manage data internally, but smaller companies need tools that help them leverage their data without requiring large investments in personnel.”
Security and Efficiency in Digital Agronomy
In addition to managing data effectively, companies are increasingly focused on ensuring that their data is secure. As more agricultural research is conducted using digital tools, cybersecurity has become a critical concern for many organizations. Gauthier noted that two years ago, cybersecurity was rarely a topic of discussion in the agricultural industry. Today, it is a priority for many companies, as they seek to ensure that sensitive research data is protected.
Operational efficiency is another key area where digital agronomy platforms are making an impact. By streamlining data collection and analysis processes, these platforms allow agricultural researchers to focus more on interpreting results and less on managing administrative tasks. Platforms like Bloomeo, for example, are designed to automate much of the data collection process, reducing the time and effort required for manual data entry and analysis.
Outlook for the Future of Data Management in Agriculture
As the agricultural industry continues to evolve, data management is expected to play an even larger role in shaping the sector. By 2030, many companies are likely to rely on digital platforms not only to manage their current data but also to inform long-term strategies and innovations. Gauthier anticipates that Doriane will continue to expand its global presence and develop new solutions for managing agricultural data.
“Our goal is to be a global reference for agronomy practices and data management,” Gauthier said. He also noted that the future of agriculture may involve fewer chemical inputs, with a stronger focus on sustainability and data-driven decisions. As digital agronomy platforms continue to evolve, they are likely to become even more integral to the future of agriculture, helping organizations make smarter, more informed decisions.
