AB SmartDIH Services: Building Smart Farming and Bioeconomy Competence in Central Finland

A systematic integration of agrology student assets (degree programs) and agricultural end-users (training & technology adoption) in the process of RDI and adoption of Smart Farming Technology (SFT) is an increasingly important motivator for rural SMEs and agrifood companies to invest in, or collaborate with, regional DIHs and competence centres that are part of educational RDI organisations.

In this process, current competences are strengthened and enabled, future experts and end-users are educated and formed, and suppliers & users of technology are being linked efficiently. Here we aim at widening the scope of our DIH strategy by actively building on these perceived multi-actor synergies to achieve an improved, continuous, and sustained process of SFT enablement and adoption across sectors and generations.

We refine our strategy by a) explicitly integrating above mentioned target groups into current service portfolio and b) add specific services to support and develop cross-sectoral and -generational synergies. Measures are based on involvement and interactions of students, end-users and corporate stakeholders in Ecosystem Building, Technology & Adoption and Business.