EkoNiva Group, Russia's largest dairy holding, has updated the mobile version of its in-house developed EkoCrop plant growing software. The solution makes for storing all the necessary information about field works on a single database with the subsequent report generation. New options permit performing more convenient data entry, reporting and analytics as well as increasing the number of users.

EkoCrop is aimed at managing real-time details on each field, activities carried out there and specialists and machinery involved. This makes it possible to synchronise the operation of several vehicles in one field, monitor the employees’ performance, control the output of each piece of equipment and other parameters. The programme also minimises input errors as all information is based on reference books rather than entered manually. The updated version 1.10 was introduced in February.

The first task that the IT specialists were faced with was to improve the overall stability of the mobile application. The data storage and synchronisation system was refined along with the work with groups and subgroups of activities, optimisation of operations and filtering by crops were added, which significantly facilitated creating tasks via the application. The new build has a feedback form to ensure close interaction between the developers and the end user of the programme. One can send a request straight to the technical support and put forward suggestions for improving the software. The most topical and popular issues will be included in the development plan.

In addition, EkoNiva’s team has designed and launched a web version of EkoCrop, which allows users to connect from a computer via the Internet and has all the options available in the application. The programme information is instantly updated and immediately becomes open to everyone. The EkoCrop app is only accessible on a limited number of corporate tablets. Thanks to the web version, a wider range of EkoNiva’s specialists can now connect to the programme.

As part of the current updates, the IT professionals have also set up an integration with the 1C: Agricultural Enterprise Management programme. Now, the data on operations, fields, areas and crops in each specific subdivision and on a given date is automatically transferred from EkoCrop to 1C. This eliminates possible errors when entering updated information and generally saves employees' time needed for making data changes.

Today, the programme is mainly used by agronomists, chief herd managers, heads of operations as well as economists, analysts and the company's executives. Around 250 employees use the mobile version, and over 500 people work via the desktop.

‘Digital solutions are increasingly being implemented in agriculture. Not only IT companies have specialised software and applications to offer – farming enterprises are also developing in-house programmes. It allows them to be more flexible and customise their products to the specialists’ needs and to the business requirements. EkoCrop makes it possible to see a real-time history of field activities and monitor the quality and maturity of the crops, which, in its turn, results in prompt solutions to emerging problems’, says Andrey Beryulyayev, Digitalisation Department Manager, EkoNiva-APK Holding.

EkoNiva continues to develop precision farming technologies and expand the functionality of its own programmes. This year, the IT specialists are working on integrating EkoCrop with a machinery monitoring system, as well as on ways to automatically estimate the scope of tasks and mark off the jobs done. This would significantly reduce the time spent by the employees on preparing various documents for the accounting system and free it up for actual work in the field.