Cultivating Growth: How Trusted Data Sharing Transforms Agriculture

The agricultural sector is at the forefront of a digital transition. In 2023 alone, the European Union’s agricultural industry contributed €223.9 billion in gross value added, underscoring its economic significance. But with rising global demand for food, sustainability changes, and evolving regulations, the sector must become efficient, transparent, and data-driven.A powerful enabler of this transformation is secure, standardised data sharing. The iSHARE Framework enables stakeholders across agriculture to operate within trusted data ecosystems– ensuring data rights are protected, interoperability is seamless, and data becomes a tool for growth, resilience and innovation.

Unlocking Business Value Through Trusted Data Sharing

The iSHARE Framework for Data Rights facilitates cross-sector, federated data ecosystems, offering the agricultural sector significant advantages:

1. Lower Costs and Greater Accessibility

By reducing integration and service delivery costs through a federated architecture, iSHARE makes data-driven tools more accessible. In i4Trust pilot projects, costs fell up by 60% enabling farmers and service providers– especially SMEs– to adopt advanced tools like Decision Support Systems (DSS). 

2. Smarter, More Accurate Decisions

Access to verified, real-time data improves precision in irrigation, fertilisation, crop rotation, and harvesting. Platforms like AgMonitor have increased irrigation efficiency from 70% to over 90%, cutting resource use, increasing yields, and promoting sustainable practices.

3. Expanding Markets and Costumer Reach

By enabling trusted digital interactions and reducing vendor lock-in, the iSHARE Framework allows agribusinesses—particularly SMEs—to scale faster. Businesses in pilot projects forecasted a 3x increase in customer reach simply by participating in standardised data-sharing environments.

4. Secure Sharing of Sensitive Data

Agricultural data– such as soil profiles, yield records and sustainability metrics– requires careful handling. The iSHARE Framework ensures secure, legal and ethical data exchange in compliance with the Data Act and Data Governance Act. This builds confidence among stakeholders, unlocking value in even the most guarded datasets.

5. Interoperability Across Sectors

Agriculture intersects with numerous industries, from logistics and biofuels to climate science. iSHARE enables seamless data sharing between different platforms and sectors, creaking down silos and driving innovation.

A prime example is the iSHARE Framework role in the Common European Agricultural Data Space (CEADS). As a contributor, iSHARE brings expertise in data rights and federated frameworks, shaping governance models aligned with ethical, legal, and social principles. While not central, the iSHARE Framework experience in secure, scalable and interoperable data exchange strengthens CEADS’s foundation, complementing frameworks like International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), Sitra and Gaia-X.

Building a Network of Networks in Agriculture

iSHARE’s value extends beyond individual use cases. Its modular, standardised framework enables cross-domain synergies, connecting agricultural data with mobility, energy and smart city initiatives. This creates richer insights, new services, and collaborative initiatives.

For example:

• Soil and weather data can support climate adaptation modelling.
• Farm logistics data can integrate with green transport corridors.
• Sustainability metrics can contribute to corporate ESG reporting across industries.

The Future of Agriculture: Data-Driven, Secure and Resilient

The iSHARE Framework for Data Rights is accelerating agriculture’s digital transformation by making data sharing trusted, standardised, and secure. Farmers, cooperatives, and agri-tech providers gain a competitive edge by reducing costs, improving efficiency, and ensuring compliance with evolving regulations. 

By providing a proven framework for identity, access control, and data usage agreements, the framework ensures clarity in data rights and governance. As agriculture evolves, iSHARE acts as the orchestrator of cross-sector data ecosystems, ensuring a future that is not only digital but also interconnected, resilient and fair. 

References:

1. Hekkert, G. (2024). AI-driven tool optimises water management and energy efficiency for farmers. https://www.futurefarming.com/smart-farming/tools-data/ai-driven-tool-optimises-water-management-and-energy-efficiency-for-farmers/
2. Southey, F. (2023). How Unilever is using AI and big data to transform its food portfolio. https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2023/07/25/How-Unilever-is-using-artificial-intelligence-and-big-data-biology-to-transform-food/
3. European Commission (2024). Policy brief – Rolling out the Common European Agricultural Data Space. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/policy-brief-rolling-out-common-european-agricultural-data-space