AF partnered with the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Business School on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) part-funded by UK Research & Innovation through Innovate UK. The aim was to turn the co-operative’s large store of procurement data into a practical tool that helps farmers make better buying decisions.
Farmers often have to make major purchasing decisions without forecasts or other evidence, even though these are some of the most important decisions in their businesses.
The KTP set out to change this. It aimed to give AF Members an online benchmarking and decision-support tool that helps them choose the right product, at the right price, at the right time.
AF Data Scientist Tiasha Mondal led the project, working with academics at Norwich Business School, including Dr Fabio Motoki. The project drew on several kinds of data:
AF’s historical purchase records: around 40,000 invoices a month, 90% of them digital with line-level detail
supplier product ranges and prices
Members’ farm size and farming practices
geographical and environmental factors such as climate and soil
wider market trends in input prices
Member data was kept secure and aggregated, so no individual business’s information was visible to others.
With the tool, Members can look back through previous invoices and track their spend. They can see how changing what, when or how they buy would affect their budget, plan future spend and view market value forecasts, all at no extra cost. Members and industry representatives helped shape it through a series of workshops.
Innovate UK’s independent assessors awarded the KTP an “Outstanding” A-grade, reflecting the strength of the collaboration and its impact on AF and our Members.
