An application has been submitted for participation in the project "Förderaufruf Deutsch-ukrainische Forschungskooperationen für den nachhaltigen Wiederaufbau": German-Ukrainian Scientific Cooperation for the Sustainable Recovery of Ukraine

Under the general coordination of Oksana Tonkha, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Professor of the Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection of the Faculty of Agrobiology, scientists of the Faculty of Information Technologies headed by the Deputy Dean of the Faculty for International Activities, Associate Professor of the Department of Computer Systems, Networks, and Cybersecurity Volodymyr Nazarenko, together with scientists of the Faculty of Land Management, in particular Deputy Dean for International Affairs Vyacheslav Bogdanets, and other scientists, an application for a grant for a joint international project with scientists by the Research Institute Fraunhofer-Institut für Nachrichtentechnik, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (Germany) under the "Program of German-Ukrainian Research Cooperation for the Sustainable Recovery of Ukraine: Förderaufruf Deutsch-ukrainische Forschungskooperationen für den nachhaltigen Wiederaufbau."

The project's topic is using software and artificial intelligence for sustainable agriculture and farming.
It should be noted that the war has posed significant challenges to Ukraine's agricultural sector. Russian aggressors are deliberately attacking agricultural facilities and infrastructure in Ukraine, using landmines, setting fire to farmland, and establishing a long-term blockade of Black Sea ports. The project aims to strengthen Ukraine's scientific landscape by preserving its research potential and expanding its capacity through a joint research initiative aimed at the post-war recovery of Ukraine's agricultural sector.
International scientific cooperation on the project aims to combine the efforts of Fraunhofer HHI, a leading pioneer of digital agricultural innovation in Germany, and the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, the country's leading agricultural university.
A key focus of the German-Ukrainian partnership is the development of human-centric AI solutions based on an open-source AI platform designed to meet real-world needs and carefully evaluated before and after implementation for each specific use case. This approach puts human needs at the center of recovery efforts and is vital in reviving Ukraine's agricultural industry. For example, drones, which were initially mass-produced in Ukraine for use during the war, can serve as valuable tools for data collection on an AI platform, enabling cost-effective precision farming and resource management. Shifting drone production to agriculture could also create jobs for war veterans, supporting economic recovery and social reintegration.
Fraunhofer is pushing the boundaries of innovation in agriculture with its open-source AI platform, which was developed as part of the NaLamKI project. It analyzes field sensor data from multiple data sources and provides recommendations for efficient resource allocation. This technology has many applications, including developing crop rotation and field cultivation plans, optimizing sowing, pest control, and harvesting processes, managing nutrition and fertilization, monitoring soil air, temperature, and water conditions, and contributing to soil conservation and agricultural sustainability.

Volodymyr Nazarenko,
Associate Professor of the Department of Computer Systems,
Networks and Cybersecurity