The FP7-Space project ERMES, that aims to support farmers and regional stakeholders in rice cultivation and monitoring process, is now ongoing for two years, and the research and tools created within the project have now achieved the maturity to be used in the field.

Friday 29th of April 2016, GEOTEC and their colleagues from the university of Valencia (UVEG), organised the Spanish ERMES end user day. Around 30 representatives of the Valencian agricultural research institute (IVIA), the designation of origin of Valencian rice, the Sueca rice cooperative, the Valencian agro-food cooperative, the Spanish the Valencian agricultural council, small agro-business owners and, last but not least, local rice farmers were present, and watched a demonstration of the ERMES tools for supporting and improving rice cultivation. The two tools that were presented are the smart app, that allows to collect in-field data and record agricultural managerial practices, and the geoportal, that allows to visualise, interpret and compare in-situ data, sensor data, scientific simulations and satellite data. We had a positive exchange with local stakeholders and collected many relevant feedback. Several end users furthermore expressed their willingness to use and test the ERMES tools during the upcoming 2016 rice campaign.