Extensive change processes in value added chains for products of animal origin have been initiated by EIP.NRW-project GeTie – joint effort for animal welfare – since the consortium has started its work in the past year. Project partners are seven livestock farms and sector experts from four enterprises and science. Together they assume that in the future labor world, engagement for more animal welfare will affect all people who are working in production chains for meat, milk or eggs and with that have responsibility and – at the same time – business and production processes become mire digital.
The GeTie consortium combines several aspects: That is the transparency of the joint effort for animal welfare and the motivation and empowerment for all
- to recognize potential of new technologies
- to control and shape new processes, technologies, and software within traditional customer/supplier relationships
- to make use of the understanding of reasons and advantages about a common cloud platform tailor-made for agricultural enterprises
- to perceive new tools and methods (like agile working) as a team exercise and as a necessary step towards innovation and customer satisfaction
Through conception and testing of a tailor-made platform-cooperative-business model, agricultural enterprises will be embedded to the development process for the first time. Thus, the GeTie consortium becomes a trigger for the emergence of a digital mindset along the whole chain. The EIP.NRW-project helps overcoming the silo-thinking, understanding challenges – such as reaching a higher level of animal welfare or a faster implementation of livestock-strategies – as a chance and demanding the implementation of digital tools for communication channels.
Acceptance to this new platform-cooperative as a driver of digitalization in value added chains of meat, milk and eggs can only be reached in an environment that fosters willingness for change and implements to its daily life. This goes easier if
- the users of the platform can follow the concept of trial and error
- the users continuously take part in qualifications
- software and Hardware are used to their highest level of usability
- knowledge and transparency are understood as values that grow through sharing
- personal-responsible work and agile collaboration are fostered by the team
- digitalization of further qualification and self-assessment as well as web-based feedback by suppliers and customers become part of a continuous process of improvement
By now, all project partners of GeTie have a mindset that is shaped by curiosity and enthusiasm for digitalization of web-based communication between business partners and at the same time by openness of the livestock farmers for interaction of smart farming and animal welfare. To keep both – animal welfare and digitalization – in focus is put into practice by a service offering to all project partners by the operative group of GeTie. This offer should also be available to other livestock farmers with their market partners in the coming weeks. This includes online workshops starting in June to allow fast onboarding for using the cloud platform to many user groups. The web-based cloud solution is a crucial basic software to the generic operation and business model of the platform cooperative.
For those who are interested, information about services that will be offered in the upcoming months are available via >>project coordinator EQAsce.
