Farmtopia introduced its programme in September 2023 with a focus on small-scale farms that had gained limited access to digital agriculture. The project proposed co-developing tools with farmers rather than assuming that software designed for larger operations would fit smaller holdings.
Its design centred on 18 Sustainable Innovation Pilots, including nine preselected pilots and additional pilots to be chosen through a later open call. Participating production systems ranged across crops and livestock. Alongside technical development, the consortium planned reusable software components and business and governance models to reduce the burden on both users and providers. The launch article explained intended activities and ambitions; it did not establish that every planned pilot or expected benefit had already been delivered.
