2023.08 Update

Updates:

  • Rendering of machinery. You can sync and see John Deere equipment in Geoface.
  • Editing of variable rate maps. You can now import, generate and edit variable rate fertilization maps.
  • Product purchasing. You can now add multiple products in one purchase.
  • Plant protection journal update. Now you can select the period and fields you want to declare.
  • Updated mobile version of Geoface.
  • Updated job colors in the finance section.

Fixes:

  • Fixed a problem where the area of grouped fields was duplicated.
  • Fixed map focus in the job calendar.
  • Fixed the filter in the finance section

2023.07 Update

Updates:

  • Updated declaration limits, by adding a field you can see the latest declared limits.
  • Updated mobile version designs. Some features have been adapted for the mobile version.
  • The field search tool is combined with a comment function. You will now be able to add notes, comments and pictures in the fields easily.
  • Updated pesticide registration data
  • Updated map legend. You will now see the crop area and percentage.

Fixes:

  • The unknown crop filter is working again
  • The filter has been fixed in the crop rotation
  • The recommended works section has been removed
  • Fixed the .PDF plant protection journal version if there were grouped fields
  • Fixed problem of vegetation photos not updating
  • Updated redirect feature. Field information will now open specific jobs for the assigned field.

2023.06 Update

Updates:

  • Updated single field information and design. You will now see more relevant information. The mobile version is also updated.
  • Renewed summary table design on last page when sending logs
  • Added additional informational messages when working with journals
  • Now it will be possible to transfer your created product between farms
  • Updated the distance measurement tool on the fields map
  • Sorting in AAP journals was changed
  • Redesigned icons in job editing sections

Fixes:

  • Invoices and delivery documents can be added when adjusting purchase records
  • Fixed measurement units conversion
  • Adjusted alphabetical order of fields
  • The design of the mobile version is being adjusted
  • It is now possible to adjust the seed you create (if the measurement units are sowing units)
  • Fixed issues with user levels
  • Revised and updated arithmetics

2023.05 Update

Updates:

  • A feature has been developed to allow the use of all registered PPE products regardless of culture.
  • Updated and expanded warehouse report. More slices will now be available for tracking warehouse movements.
  • The function of combining fields has been merged with the function of grouping fields.
  • Updated the seed creation part in the warehouse.
  • Updated weather forecast resource.
  • Unified field deletion windows

Fixes:

  • Journal design has been renewed
  • The crop legend on the map can be scrolled now
  • After adjusting the area in the task, the .PDF version will show the correct area.
  • Fixed when changing the actual quantity and treated area, the latter was not updated.
  • Downloading a job task will not combine different tasks anymore
  • You had to reload the page once you added a farm to a subscription, now it will be updated automatically
  • Fixed some translations
  • Fixed some misplaced design elements

2023.04 Update

Updates:

  • Updated terms of use and privacy policy.
  • Updated list of products and crops.
  • Added field grouping function. Now you can easily group multiple fields and work on them as a single field. If no tasks are assigned, the group can be ungrouped.
  • Adjusted the structure of job steps. Now fields can also be selected in step 1, and fields will be expanded automatically in step 3.

Fixes:

  • Fixed magazine shipping design flaws in the mobile version
  • Fixed minor design flaws
  • Fixed certain formatting processes that caused data to be distorted
  • Fixed a problem where financial data was incorrectly updated when changing seasons

2023.03 Update

Updates:

  • Warehouse export function added. You will now be able to export all warehouse records in .xls format.
  • Adjusted calendar function. You will now be able to see the name of the job and the quantity and rate of product used.
  • The section on crop rotation filters has been improved and expanded. You will now be able to filter the desired fields more easily, by size, name, block number, and ownership.
  • A map has been added to display the information in the crop rotation section.
  • Filters in the work sections have been extended.
  • Added correction function for warehouse records. You can easily edit dates, prices, quantities, and other relevant information in purchase records.
  • Design adjustments in the mobile version of Geoface.
  • Adjusted layout of work task information.

Fixes:

  • Certain financial calculations have been sorted out.
  • The design of work task actions has been standardised.

2022.02 Update

Updates:

  • The latest feature is crop rotation. Now it is possible to easily and conveniently plan your crop rotation by main crops and catch crops.
  • Added a layer of water protection zones. In the map, in the layer selection, you will be able to find and analyze this layer.
  • Added a layer of cadastral plots on the map, you will be able to check the boundaries of your field more precisely.
  • Added a layer of state land. In the map, in the layer selection, you will be able to find and analyze this layer.
  • Added a digital layer of reclamation maps, now you can track reclamation in your fields more accurately.
  • Added a user-level editing system. Now you can add different users according to the employee needs. You can add up to five different levels (Owner; Head of the farm; Senior specialist; Specialist; Worker).
  • Added a new unit size editing function. Now you will be able to change units while planning and finishing tasks.
  • Added an explanation of what to do if you miss some product in the warehouse.

Fixes:

  • Fixed a problem when liquid fertilizer usage was calculated incorrectly.
  • Fixed fertilizer translations.

Smart farming systems on farms are inevitable

The global market for farm management software is expected to double by 2026, while only 30% of farms in Lithuania have implemented or plan to start using precision farming solutions. The developers of the Lithuanian smart app Geoface argue that, despite established habits or fear of change, farms will not avoid digitalisation due to legal regulations, cost benefits and the attitude of the younger generation.

The world’s growing human population and the need to feed it, the demands of sustainability and the drive for value for money are driving agriculture to find ways to get the most out of every hectare. Farm managers have to make decisions here and now, which calls for automated farm management solutions. Smart farming systems are gaining in popularity, which helps to store farm data in one place, predict yields, monitor machinery and equipment, carry out mandatory reports, etc.

The global market for farm management applications is expected to double by 2026. Today it stands at $2.1 billion and is expected to grow to $4.2 billion by 2026 (source: www.marketsandmarkets.com). Europe accounts for about 10% of the total global market and Lithuania would account for an even smaller share, but the use of farm management applications is expected to grow rapidly. Growth is mainly driven by the modernisation of farms, the changing generation of farms, government support programmes and various legal frameworks.

In the Lithuanian market, only around 30% of advanced farms have installed or plan to start using precision farming solutions such as RTK signals, fertiliser maps, other software and automated driving. Unfortunately, many farms still document their work in a notebook or do not analyse it at all. The main reason is fear of innovation. Some Lithuanian farms are still distrustful of digital solutions – they are expensive, the benefits are not tangible, there is a lack of skills, and there is a fear of losing data.

Jonas Bakšys, Director of Geoface, a company developing a smart farming programme, says that smart systems are an inevitable tool for farms. “Not only does it help to manage farm information, calculate costs, forecast yields and income. It is a necessity and the norm when farm data becomes another important resource to achieve a profitable farm result,” says Jonas Bakšys.

With rising prices for machinery and equipment, fuel, crop protection products, fertilisers and labour costs, farms are forced to think about how to earn more. For example, smart farming systems can help reduce fertiliser inputs efficiently. Integrating aggregated field data and using nitrogen fertiliser maps can save up to 15% of nitrogen, which reduces costs, lowers the risk of crop spoilage and improves grain quality.

Sustainability is and will continue to be of particular importance for farm decisions. Farmers are subject to a wide range of requirements to farm sustainably, sustainably and organically. By 2030, agriculture will need to reduce pesticide use and risks by 50% and fertiliser use by at least 20%. Mandatory accounting to monitor pesticide use is on the increase. This is also helped by the declaration functionality of the smart system, where declarations of the use of plant protection products have been mandatory since last year.

One of the more important conditions for digitisation is the age of the farm manager. In Lithuania, statistics show that only 17% of farm owners are under 40 years of age, even though more and more young people are directly involved in farm management. Young people are willing to work in a different way from the way their parents and grandparents worked. And they are older too – once they have tried a programme, they do not want to go back. Farms, especially the younger generation, need digital solutions to store and make use of farm data. More and more farms are deciding to farm more efficiently and connecting to smart farming systems.

Jonas Bakšys, Director of Geoface UAB, is pleased with Geoface, a unique application that Linas Agro Group has been developing for the Baltic market for several years, which helps to combine the needs of crop farms into one convenient smart farming tool in Lithuanian, Latvian and English.

“The experience of hundreds of farmers and the concrete expectations they express every day have been used to develop the Geoface app. Launched in 2019, the system already has more than 2,300 users signed up. In the second half of 2022, twice as many new users have joined as in 2021, and in January 2023 as many as five times more than in January 2022. In Lithuania and Latvia, we are spending a lot of time on improving the functionality of the app, as well as on customer consulting and training,” says the CEO of Geoface .

2023.01 Update

Updates:

  • Updated the plant protection product list and their changes according to the newest information.
  • Added more than 550 new crop varieties.
  • Changed the warehouse function so that now you could add a zero amount of product at zero price.
  • Updated job names in one field information. Now the fertilization jobs will be named according to the name of the fertilizer if there‘s no name added for the job.
  • Updated web page.
  • Updated translations so it would be more accurate.

 

Fixes:

  • Fixed a problem that the financial part does not update after deleting jobs.
  • Resolved a situation in which job date sometimes didn‘t react to changes.
  • Changed some design parts which didn‘t look clean.
  • Job list will refresh automatically after creating new jobs.

Geoface – Digital farm management system made in Lithuania

What do you need for the best farm management program?

As we move towards digital tools, we expect them to be a help first and foremost, not an additional hassle. Simplicity is therefore the most important thing for a farm management application to have. The right apps are designed to minimize the number of clicks required, by putting all the steps in a way that farmers can understand and use, and by providing all the tools they need to make farm management more convenient. We do this by constantly consulting with farmers of all sizes, agronomists, agricultural scientists, and global best practices. What are the specific benefits and opportunities for our Geoface users?

Convenient field contribution

In order to get started with smart agricultural management applications, we are always asked to specify our fields. The most common way to specify fields is to use the “drawing” tool to draw the field boundaries. This method is slow and unattractive. In Geoface you will of course find this method too, but it is much more modern. For example, importing fields from the EAA with a few clicks of a button. Another convenient and interesting way is by selecting the desired fields on the provided map according to the previous year’s

declarations. Geoface offers a total of 6 different ways to contribute fields to the application. From the very first experience of using the application, we want to show that Geoface is different. Geoface is focused on convenience and simplicity.

Field monitoring with FAPAR (NDVI) index

Once the fields have been loaded, one of the most well-known features of such applications becomes available to you – remote field monitoring on a map. A regular satellite map is displayed where you can conveniently mark your fields. Once marked, you can see the area and the block number, and, using the FAPAR (NDVI) index, you can monitor the vegetation status of the field. Using modern technology, satellites, spectral cameras, and sophisticated algorithms, we are able to monitor and record changes in the vegetation of a field every three days. After processing the algorithms, we share the pictures with you, enabling you to monitor problem areas in the field. When you see huge irregularities in vegetation, you can look for problems in the drainage system, in the soil, or elsewhere.

It’s not just fields and their vegetation that you can see on the Geoface map. Geoface allows you to activate drainage schemes, pinpoint your exact location, and save drainage systems by reclaiming their estuaries. You can also use a handy exploration tool where you can mark points in the field and assign photos and comments to them. This allows you to monitor your crops or mark important problems such as stones and potholes and share this information with other farm staff.

Quick and easy task planning

The main function of farm management software is work planning. In Geoface, all types of farm work (sowing, fertilizing, spraying) are planned in the same sequence using a standardized template. Customers find the farm work scheduling to be one of the most intuitive and easiest-to-use features of Geoface. The biggest advantage is the high flexibility to adapt to real farm situations. Our planning is done en masse. Automatically selecting all fields of a single crop, with the possibility to exclude some fields from the work plan.
Another much-loved feature of Geoface is the input of the actual quantity used. On the farm, plans rarely correspond to reality. We have therefore developed a function that allows you to enter the actual amount of material used when the work is finished. When you enter the actual quantities of fertilizer or other materials used, everything will be automatically recalculated. This will record the actual quantities used, recalculate and record the real rates and real costs.

Sowing planning

In Geoface, you choose your seeds and fertilizers from an extensive list of products from all major suppliers. If you don’t find the product you are looking for, you can either add it to the list yourself or inform the Geoface team to add the product you want. In the sowing section, you will find the recommended sowing rates as well as a sowing rate calculator where you can use the seed parameters to get the sowing rate you need. You can also add the required nutrients and micronutrients to the planned sowing.

Fertilization planning and variable rate nitrogen fertilization maps

The list of fertilizers is even more extensive, and you can also add products that you cannot find here. Once you have planned, you will also see the amount of active ingredient per hectare, both for the field and for all the planned works combined – no need for a calculator. Also, all fertilizer applications made are automatically transferred to the fertilizer logs, which you no longer need to keep separately. This log is permanently available and can be downloaded in PDF format.
Using the satellite (FAPAR) information described above, we provide a unique opportunity to fertilize your crops with nitrogen at variable rates. Using sophisticated algorithms and after you specify the total, minimum, and maximum fertilizer rates per hectare, we will recalculate the fertilizer rate for the hectare.