EIP-Agri · State of Brandenburg · 2026–2028

Fertilize with foresight,
not gut feeling.

Nitrogen fertilisation is key to good yields, but nobody knows the weather of the coming weeks in advance. DÜNGEcht is developing a digital decision-support tool that helps farmers in Brandenburg better plan the timing and amount of nitrogen fertilisation during the growing season.

How it works Project partners

Ensemble weather forecasts × cropping systems model → fertilisation recommendation with range

Duration

03/2026 – 12/2028

Lead Partner

ZALF e.V.

Region

MOL & LOS, Brandenburg

Funding

EIP-Agri

01 — The Problem

Too little rain, too little water in the soil, too much uncertainty.

Brandenburg is one of the driest regions in Germany. Farmers have to decide how much nitrogen to apply without knowing how much rain will fall in the coming weeks; too little costs yield, too much costs money and harms groundwater.

Remote sensing already helps adapt fertilisation to spatial differences within a field. What’s missing: a reliable way to factor in the uncertainty of the weather itself.

500 mm

average annual rainfall, one of the driest regions in Germany

⅔

of arable land consists of sandy, low-water-retention soils

Quelle: LfU Brandenburg – Soil and Climate Change

02 — The Idea

Three data sources, one recommendation.

DÜNGEcht brings together what has so far been considered separately, translating it into a concrete, actionable recommendation for the next fertilisation date.

Satellite

Remote sensing

Shows the current state of crops in the field, with spatial resolution.

SIMPLACE

Cropping systems model

Simulates nitrogen dynamics.

ECMWF / DWD

Weather forecast

Provides a range of possible weather trajectories instead of a single forecast.

↓

Result

Expected yield range, nitrogen loss, and a recommendation on timing & amount, tailored to the farmer’s risk preference.

03 — How We Work

Developed together with farmers from the region.

From the first concept to a field-tested tool: DÜNGEcht is developed, tested, and refined in an iterative co-design process with the participating farms: six work packages, one shared goal.

Fertilize with foresight,not gut feeling.