SIP10
A Smartphone-based DSS to Democratize Access to Precision Farming for Sustainable Management of Cherry Orchards (SmartCherry)
Sector: Fruit Production / Precision Orchard Management
Country of the Pilot: Italy
About the SIP
SmartCherry addresses the lack of affordable and crop-specific digital tools for cherry growers, particularly smallholders in Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) regions such as Lari in Tuscany, Italy. These farmers must meet strict quality, traceability, and sustainability standards while facing limited connectivity and economic constraints that prevent them from adopting costly precision-farming systems designed for larger crops like cereals or vineyards.
To bridge this gap, SmartCherry introduces a smartphone-based Decision Support System (DSS) tailored specifically to cherry orchards. It empowers farmers with data-driven insights on irrigation, fertilisation, and pest control, without requiring expensive hardware or continuous internet access.
The Problem
Cherry growers in Tuscany often operate on small plots (under 10 hectares) and rely on manual, experience-based management. The lack of digital tools for cherries makes it difficult to optimize agrochemical use, maintain PGI compliance, and ensure consistent product quality.
Most existing precision-farming technologies demand high investment in sensors or drones and depend on stable connectivity, barriers that exclude many small and remote farms from digital innovation.
The Solution
SmartCherry delivers a low-cost, user-friendly precision farming tool built around the iAgro mobile application. It transforms a standard smartphone into a powerful agronomic monitoring device capable of 3D scanning, real-time analysis, and decision support.
- Cloud-based ADS – Farmers use the iAgro app to scan trees, with images processed in the cloud through open-source photogrammetry (OpenDroneMap) and AI-driven analytics. The system generates 3D digital twins of each tree, calculates biometric parameters (canopy volume, leaf area index, vigor maps), and delivers optimized fertilization and pesticide recommendations.
- Mixed edge/cloud ADS – Designed for rural areas with limited connectivity, this version performs key processing tasks directly on the smartphone using ARCore (Android) and ARKit (iOS) frameworks. Farmers receive instant biometric results offline, with data automatically synced to the cloud once a connection is available.
Both versions integrate four OpenAgri OS Services:
- Weather Data Service for localized forecasts and pest-risk prediction.
- Pest & Disease Management Service for real-time alerts.
- Semantic Model for data standardization and interoperability.
- Reporting Service for automated certification and compliance reports.
By combining augmented reality, AI, and open data standards, SmartCherry enables small farmers to reduce agrochemical and water use, cut production costs, and comply with PGI sustainability criteria, democratizing access to precision farming for the cherry sector.