Wielkopolska Agricultural Advisory Center (WODR) is a public organization established in 1999 after the unification of different advisory centers in the region and runs directly under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. WODR promotes and disseminates innovative services in agriculture related fields. In particular, the center conducts agricultural advisory covering agricultural production, rural development, agricultural markets and rural households, in order to improve the level of agricultural income and improve the market competitiveness of farms, to support the sustainable development of rural areas, as well as raising the level of professional skills of farmers and other inhabitants in rural areas.
WODR focuses on current economical, and technological analysis of farms including required quality standards, environment and landscape protection, country and EU regulations. WODR advisors are the closest to farmers in their daily work. Advisors team provides trainings, direct advising for farmers and rural inhabitants and helps them to fulfill agricultural legislation and to apply EU or national funds.
Moreover WODR helps to create contact networks between farmers, research units, SME’s in the agrifood sector and other entities supporting the implementation of innovations in agriculture and rural areas and supports the exchange of good practices in agricultural innovations. WODR is a leader of digitalization of agriculture advisory in Poland. It’s a leader of a flagship ICT project called eDWIN, an established polish advisory digital platform.
WODR cooperates with other advisory regional centers in Poland and is a member of EUFRAS, representing all Polish farm advisors at the EU level.
Role in the project:
WODR together with PIT-Ł and PSNC, will create an algorithm that determines the water needs of a specific field. This algorithm will be tested on an experimental plot in the Greater Poland region with the use of an irrigation machine.
WODR have access to farms (open fields) needed to run the piloting activities and infrastructure needed to develop the ADSs of the SIPs.
All this is to perform efficient irrigation, reducing water use and regulating it to support growth and total yield and minimise diseases. Greater Poland is the region where there is low annual rainfall, low level of groundwater, the signs of desertification have occurred and there are biodiversity issues.
WODR will also engage the local agri-food communities in co-design and co-creation activities (workshops and Open Days).
