IST-Africa 2012 Conference Proceedings Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham (Eds) IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2012 ISBN: 978-1-905824-34-2 Copyright © 2012 The authors www.IST-Africa.org/Conference2012 Page 1 of 10 New Tools for Data Accessibility and Decision Support Zbynek KRIVANEK, Karel CHARVAT Junior, Pavel GNIP, Premysl VOHNOUT, Karel CHARVAT Wirelessinfo, Cholinska 1048, Litovel, 784 01, Czech Republic Tel: +420 605 03 35 96, Email: charvat_junior@wirelessinfo.cz Abstract: The agriXchange project defined Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for future utilisation of ICT in farming sector. This SRA is focused on analysis of future challenges in ICT for agriculture and on defining future strategies and priorities for research. The SRA is focused on the implementation of the Future Internet (FI) concept for agriculture and it is based on experiences from current advanced ICT project. As a potential implementation of FI for agriculture is used the result of the COIN IP Open Agriculture Services scenario – tactical planning. The COIN tactical planning modules will introduce new mathematical models for recommending optimal production and land use for next seasons. The purpose of the recommendation is to maximise the expected profit of the farmer. This type of planning is important not only for direct profit, but also for planning of investment. Keywords: Strategic Research Agenda, Crop Production, Tactical Planning, Integer Linear Programming. 1. Introduction The agriculture sector is a unique sector due to its strategic importance for both European citizens (consumers) and European economy (regional and global) which ideally should make the whole sector a network of interacting organisations. In the next period rural Europe will be radically transformed in terms of the distribution of people and of economic activity and Gross its regions. These changes are inevitable. A common and future position of each important driver in reality can be different. In many cases two drivers can act against each other and their future influence on agri-production and food market depends on regulations and common policy. For example: • Food quality and safety Food requirements for growing population. • Growing requirements for food Renewable energy production technologies. • Renewable production energy demand Demand for more environment- friendly production. The combination of external drivers will introduce new challenges for future agri production and also for all rural communities. We can recognize a list of challenges, which has to be reflected by future farming knowledge management systems. We can name the following challenges for future: 1. To include ICT and knowledge management for agri-food and rural communities generally as a vital part of the ICT policies and initiatives (for example Digital Agenda for Europe 2020). Newly coming solutions such as the single digital market, future internet, globalisation of knowledge, social media and networks, protection of data and open access to information will be essential for farming and rural communities. Knowledge becomes one of the most important products and also material. If there is no