The Victorian Government has awarded NNNCo the contract to provide connectivity for its planned trials of IoT in agriculture.
NNNCo will provide a LoRaWAN network connectivity for Victoria’s on-farm IoT trial for 600 farms over an area of 5,000 square kilometres in the regions surrounding Maffra, Tatura, Serpentine and Birchip.
In July 2019 the Government called for expressions of interest for the trials, which are part of its $45 million Connecting Victoria initiative to improve digital technology and infrastructure across regional Victoria.
In the first round of the trials grants of up to $30,000 will be available to up to 600 eligible applicants in the regions of Maffra, Birchip, Serpentine and Tatura to cover up to two-thirds of the cost of on-farm IoT technology. Trials in each region will be limited to one type of farming: dairy in Maffra, grains in Birchip, sheep in Serpentine and horticulture in Tatura.
On 1 August the government issued RFPs for the provision of connectivity and for applications and devices for the trials, and announced these in a press release on 3 August.
The connectivity RFP covered
- Network infrastructure that enables affordable IoT connectivity and services;
- Sustainable business models during and beyond the trial period;
- Provision of network services that are supported by service agreements;
- Network co‐contributions.
The applications/devices RFP covered
- Ag‐IoT applications and devices that demonstrate clear benefits to farms;
- Sustainable business models during and beyond the trial period;
- Provision of application and devices that are secure, supported by service agreements and provide access to relevant trial data.
Applications and devices provider not announced
A spokesperson for Agriculture Victoria told IoTAustralia that this process was expected to be completed in coming weeks. “The panel has finalised its evaluation and the department is currently finalising contracts with the successful suppliers.”
Announcing the selection of NNNCo for the connectivity RFP the minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes said NNNCo would work in partnership with Agriculture Victoria to deliver a LoRaWAN; network that would allow for thousands of sensors to be reliably and securely connected, providing users with real-time data on measures to help improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability.
“We are funding IoT network connectivity in the trial regions to address a lack of connectivity which is often a barrier to farmers’ realising the potential of IoT and other emerging digital technologies,” she said.
NNNCo said the network also had the potential to support other uses in the community “so that everyone in these regions can enjoy improved connectivity and the benefits of Victoria’s digital economy”
It said the Victorian network would extend its regional and urban coverage which includes regional networks built in partnership with Goanna Ag that cover approximately 60 percent of Australia’s cotton belt.
The Victorian contract follow NNNCo being awarded, in December 2019 a contract to install and maintain a LoRaWAN network and IoT sensors at the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development research facilities in Katanning and Merredin in the Grainbelt.
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