VIPS – a web‐based decision support system for farmers, agricultural extension services and agricultural scientists*

Abstract

In Norway, the new web‐based warning system called VIPS aims to give open access to all the information needed for farmers to reduce their reliance on plant protection products. VIPS calculates warnings for 70 weather stations for several pests in selected fruits, vegetables and cereals. Registered users may adjust the climatic data used in the models and record field observations to get private warnings. They may also use the system to record farm practices. VIPS is unique in several aspects: (1) it has a general user interface for all crops and pests, and the user gets a quick overview of which pests to look out for; (2) all warnings are site‐specific and linked to an authorized weather station which supplies validated meteorological data. The extension service supplies the validated biological data necessary to run the models; (3) the presentation is layered under the weather stations of each county. The first level gives information of danger (red), possible danger (yellow) and no danger (green) for each model (past 5 days/coming 5 days). The next three levels give information of the specific model, historical data and exact values of the input parameters used in the models for the calculations.