31.01.2025
Interview with Andreas Dörr, agricultural engineer and Managing Director of Doerr Agrar
The climate crisis presents farmers with a variety of challenges. Andreas Dörr, a visionary farmer and Managing Director of Doerr-Agrar, relies on sustainable agricultural practices and innovative technologies such as the digital twin to intelligently tackle the constantly changing weather conditions and remain economically successful in the long term.
To this end, Andreas Dörr has joined forces with Esri to redesign the concept of the "digital twin" in agriculture. This project enables agricultural processes to be optimized through the use of 3D data models and GIS technologies. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical object, such as Andreas Dörr's farm, which continuously records and evaluates data in real time. In agriculture, this technology enables precise monitoring and control of agricultural processes.
The project was supported from the outset by our Bavarian Digital Agriculture Competence Network (KNeDL). As a member of our network, Andreas Dörr was able to establish valuable contacts with partners who support him in realizing his vision of smart agriculture.
"Society and politicians expect more and more from us farmers. In my view, digitalization should help to provide farmers with uncomplicated decision-making support. Above all, digitalization must be smart; farmers will only be happy to accept it if it makes their work easier."
Andreas Dörr
Farmer and Managing Director of Doerr-Agrar
Mr. Dörr, what inspired you to develop a digital twin for your farm and what advantages do you see?
Andreas Dörr: I'm always on the lookout for applications that make my day-to-day work easier, with which I can organize my agricultural processes more efficiently and react better to changes in the environment. With the digital twin, I can better visualize and plan my work processes. The three-dimensional representation of my own farm also helps to make the profession of farmer "digitally" fit for the future. AI-based applications and systems in agriculture are on the horizon that will further improve the handling of insightful data.
How do you see the development of AI in agriculture?
Andreas Dörr: In the agricultural sector, AI will never be able to replace entire areas, but it will play a supporting role. Farmers are generally well connected and if the corresponding applications work and help the farm, then there is interest. At this point, however, there is a risk that digitalization will drive large farms forward and leave small farms behind. The challenge here will be to put applications into practice that take all farm sizes into account.
A lot of research is being carried out in agriculture, but few projects find their way into practice. What solution do you see here?
Andreas Dörr: We need more innovative lighthouse farms that test various technologies for their practical suitability. These farms can then pass on their experiences to the masses. This would create more confidence among farmers, who have to deal with the application on the one hand and have high costs on the other.
Bavarian Digital Prize for digital pioneering work
Andreas Dörr was honored with the Bavarian Digital Award for his innovative approaches and the successful implementation of the digital twin. This award recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of digitalization and underlines the importance of Andreas Dörr's work for the future of agriculture.
