TARGIS-VRA
Variable Rate Application Fertilization System integrable into existing machines and tractors
Description
TARGIS-VAR, which stands for Variable Rate Application Fertilization System, is a system for optimizing the mechanical spreading of fertilisers. It aims to save fertilizer use, raise productivity, minimize nitrate pollution, sustain ecological balance and hence to improve the sustainability of agricultural activities. Developed by the R&D support of Ministry of Agriculture – “General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Polices” (TAGEM) - TARGIS-VRA develops fertilization maps to allow the determination of optimum fertilization needs according to the specific conditions and needs of the land and the weather conditions. The maps are used to implement Internet of Things’ applications to control the fertilization operations.
Technology
TARGIS-VRA is a variable rate fertilization technology. It develops fertilization maps based on its patented algorithm that it has been developing for years, and determines the appropriate fertilization need according to the unique conditions and needs of the land and weather conditions. It provides “agricultural vehicle guidance” through GPS technology. The most important feature that distinguishes TARGIS-VRA from its international competitors is the system's ability to be integrated into existing machines and tractors and thus its potential to increase the prevalence and usage area of the product by providing a low-cost application. Furthermore, it relies on three components: an operator control unit (OCU) used as an information and notification panel to the tractor driver, a terminal box and linear actuator strokes for enabling Virtual Reality capabilities to the various implements, a web-based application for Mapping and Predicting the ideal timing for applying the operations. A software makes it possible to generate fertilizing and spraying maps from the input data gathered from soil samplings or field survey results and combine it with agricultural implementation data from previous years and periodic environmental factor information. Mapping software is developed according to a special algorithm which generates maps by using the input data and variables. The mapping software will also work as the GIS server which is the core server geographic information system. It is used for creating and managing GIS Web services and spatial data.
Target
The main users of the TARGIS-VRA solution are farmers aiming to control and improve data-driver fertilization operations. The solution can enable small and medium scale agricultural holdings to improve their production capacity.
Business model
No specific information about the cost of the solution is available on the website (as of November 2023). TARGIS-VRA is a paid service. Quotations are tailored by the company according to the user requirements. The organisation reports that the low cost of TARGIS-VRA, which is 1/3 compared to its national and international competitors, constitutes a significant advantage for the widespread availability of the system. The TARGIS-VRA investment, which is expected to be self-financing within 2 years, is primarily aimed at increasing agricultural productivity throughout the country and, in doing so, minimizing production costs and environmental impacts.
Impact
The company’s website reports that up to 24 percent of fertilizer savings can be achieved in agricultural production through these technologies for variable rate applications. Among other positive outcomes reported by the organisation are the minimization of the use of fertilizer, minimization of nitrate pollution, optimization of spraying and fertilizing operations by its capacity to change VRA application settings automatically according to the weather conditions which are affecting the quality and the efficiency of the operations.
Partners
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of the Republic of Turkey;European Commission;
Four Betters
Better production
