A strategic partnership was concluded between the GEODIS company, a leading European supplier of aerial imaging services and producing geographical data, and Sinergise, a top supplier of software solutions for administration and control of agricultural subsidies in August, 2012. The aim of this agreement is to offer clients from ministries of agriculture and paying agencies, which supervise the payment of subsidies, complex solutions including the supply and regular actualization of LPIS data, together with a new generation of SW solutions, including support for end users.
Programmes and subsidies in agriculture do represent almost half of the European Union budget distributed via Integrated Administrative and Control System (IACS), which is why there is a special focus on assuring that these funds are distributed fairly. That is why Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) were introduced several years ago – to prevent double declaration of areas and to check, using aerial and satellite images, whether the declared land is legible for subsidies. Significant abuse of the funds was prevented using this approach. In order to improve the quality of LPIS and eliminate possible faults, the European Commission (DG Agri), in cooperation with the Joint Research Centre (JRC), have introduced new procedures and criteria for these systems. These changes, together upcoming reform of Common Agricultural Policy must be reflected in the architecture of the SW solutions used, and also in the process of collecting and actualizing data. These are exactly the issues on which GEODIS and Sinergise would like to concentrate.
"Together we are capable of ensuring the highest quality throughout the process, from acquiring images, processing aerial images, digitalization of LPIS, up to quality control. Joining our knowledge and experience is the correct response to the increasing requirements of DG Agri at the European Commission," said Ondrej Tomas, the General Director of the GEODIS Group.
The joint offer from both companies can be characterized in the three following steps:
• Quality assessment – Based on the technical specifications, as required by JRC, we would perform an analysis of the sample of reference parcels. This would both give us a direct insight in the data and provide the customer with the actual results, results that have to be delivered annually to DG Agri. At the same time we will analyze all data sources and processes used within LPIS process in the member state in order to prepare a list of recommendations on how the processes can be improved from the data, methodology and technology point of view.
• LPIS update – Recent results of the quality assurance testing in a number of member states have shown that full LPIS update is necessary – that all agriculture parcels have to be re-checked. This process involves several effort-heavy tasks – reference imagery update, comparison of all parcels with updated imagery, updates of parcels according to the findings, etc. These kinds of tasks can be performed efficiently by our consortium as we employ both, technology for acquisition of data, LPIS technology according to the EU regulative and skilled personnel. The results may, depending on the country’s legislation, include fully updated data or update suggestions structured in a way to be easily integrated in the member state’s process.
• Update of the LPIS process – In order to assure long-term compatibility of members state’s LPIS system with EU specifications we are in a position to offer full solution, both from aerial imagery updates to software platform
"The strategic partnership between Sinergise and GEODIS allows us to jointly offer complex solutions for LPIS, from modern software up to high quality data. Thanks to mutual cooperation, we are prepared to implement higher quality LPIS systems, which help state administrations to achieve better control over the payment of subsidies and the possibility to significantly reduce the percentage of farmers selected for on-the-spot checks" adds Grega Milcinski, the Director of the Sinergise company.
About GEODIS
GEODIS is one of the most important European companies offering services in the fields of surveying, cadastral systems, photogrammetry and geographical information systems (GIS) for the public and private sectors. The group employs more than 460 experts in six countries. GEODIS has a wealth of experience in data processing for LPIS in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Romania and Poland. In addition to processing aerial images, producing orthophotomaps and digitalising individual production blocks and their updates, GEODIS also provides services in the fields of subsidy auditing using aerial and satellite images and terrestrial GPS measuring. The concept of LPIS services is closely related to the portfolio of other services which GEODIS offers directly to farmers, including supplying technologies for telematics, operation of agricultural machinery TOPCON and consultancy in the fields of precision farming, subsidies and legislation. More information can be found at http://www.geodis.cz.
About Sinergise
Sinergise is a leading GIS laboratory, focused on the development of software systems for agriculture and cadastral registers. Sinergise currently provides software solutions for LPIS and IACS in Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia, and also participates in on-site physical checks and off-site remote checks. Our previous projects include the cadastral system and land register in Mauritius and herbal and veterinary information systems in several other countries. Sinergise offers its clients software solutions ranging from desktop and web applications up to solutions for hand-held GPS technology and mobile platforms. The company puts great emphasis on quality data and processes and regularly shares its experience with the GeoCAP community. Further information can be found at http://www.sinergise.com
Contacts
GEODIS – Jan Sirotek, jan.sirotek@geodis.cz
Sinergise – Grega Milcinski , grega.milcinski@sinergise.com