Danva

Case introduction

The Danish water companies supply clean and unfiltered drinking water for all Danes.  Most wells for drinking water are found on open land, and as such, they can be impacted by farming activity in their vicinity. The water companies face a problem when wells become contaminated and costly new ones must be established. A closed well also means bad publicity for the farmer, which could impact their relation to the public and their political image.

The Danish agricultural industry is among the world’s leading knowledge clusters when is comes to technological solutions. There is an enormous potential, but also several challenges. The Agro Industry will face a future with fewer but larger and more complex farms. An area adding to this complexity is the interaction between agricultural production and protection of water purity.

The global competition between farmers with added price pressure and an ever changing environment places a great toll on the farmer. The need for effective management and related management tools will increase along with the size of the farms. As will the need for navigating the complex agricultural regulations.

Technological advances will without doubt play a major role in overcoming these challenges. By implementing smart farming practices, the professional farmer could, as an example, survey their fields using satellite technology and gain valuable knowledge for precision use of pesticides. This would ensure a higher crop yield and be of benefit both for the farmer and the environment.

Case

We wish for the team to come up with business models that will help farmers protect the groundwater without compromising plot yield. The team should present solutions based on changing farming practices and implementing new technological advances. A solution which benefits both those utilizing the surface of the earth and those using the resources in its depths, will be needed.