Objectives
The agrifood sector is facing increasing economic, regulatory and environmental challenges. At the same time, many small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) along agricultural and food value chains are still only limitedly integrated into digital processes. SustainChain addresses this gap.
The project aims to develop practical approaches for digitally enabled, sustainable value chains and to support SMEs in adopting data‑driven solutions. It focuses on three key application areas: carbon footprinting, sustainability compliance, and circular economy. Using concrete case studies from the agrifood sector, SustainChain examines how environmentally relevant information can be digitally collected, documented and shared across value chains.
A central project outcome is a practice‑oriented guideline that clearly and accessibly explains the technical and organisational requirements SMEs need to participate in digital value chains. In addition, the project develops generic requirement profiles and a domain‑specific Reference Designation System (RDS). This RDS acts as a digital “map”, translating sustainability requirements—such as CO₂ accounting—into concrete technical specifications.
Through the close involvement of practitioners across the entire agrifood value chain, SustainChain ensures that its results are feasible, transferable and highly relevant to real‑world operations. The project therefore makes an important contribution to linking digitalisation and sustainability in the agrifood sector and to strengthening the long‑term competitiveness of SMEs.
Project Partner
Project coordination
- Hochschule Osnabrück
Project partners
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Experimentelles Software Engineering IESE
- Netzwerk Friends of Digital Farming
- DLG e.V.
Project duration
01.12.2025 – 30.11.2027
Contact
Prof. Dr. Nils Borchard
✉ n.borchard@dlg.org
