The IT platforms as tools for implementation of decision support system for plant protection strategies on an example of the Pest Warning System and eDWIN project

Abstract

An effective use of information systems in farm management brings a number of benefits, ranging from the most general, in the form of management of the farm as a whole and improvement of information flow, through measurable benefits reflected in the improvement of economic indicators on the farm. The aim of this study is to present the issue related to the practical use of decision support systems on the example of the Pest Warning System or the emerging decision-making platforms used in agriculture. The subject of the project with the acronym eDWIN will be the creation of a national IT system for plant protection, which will significantly affect the quality and quantity of food produced in Poland. The system will be a work tool for farmers, advisors, support for other food producers and consumers. The project is an answer to the needs related to production efficiency and the quality of plant protection. This article presents the results of two-year research on the implementation of the system in five Voivodeship agricultural advisory centers and connection of knowledge and collected field observations posted on the Platform of Pest Warning System.