Farmers appreciate the electronic services, three quarters are satisfied

The electronic services of the Central Agricultural Control and Testing Institute in Bratislava (CACTI) are an example of a well-electronized state institution.

Marek Molnár, Head of IT, CACTI, says: “In February, we digitally managed another large campaign of reports on the consumption of fertilizers and plant protection products. The online satisfaction survey showed that more than 70 percent of users are satisfied or very satisfied with ÚKSÚP’s electronic services. This is a very respectable number, given the radical transition from paper to digital submissions.”

Satisfaction can be felt not only among farmers, but also among key users of the ÚKSÚP, for whom the new IS CÚR system (Central Data Repository) from YMS meant a complete change in organizational culture.

Marek Molnár continues: “We needed to eliminate the functioning of departments (specialized workplaces) with separate information systems, not shared with each other, unshared codebooks and processes. This separation burdened employees with administration, because they had to repeatedly verify the correctness of data between departments by phone or e-mail. Farmers, in turn, repeatedly filled in data and documented papers, which was frustrating and blocked their time during the season.”

Now the professional departments of the CACTI are connected, share information, cooperate better and communicate faster. The new system has clean processes, unified code lists and a link to the map. We have integrated the Central State Register, the Real Estate Cadastre, data from the Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA) into the IS CÚR and set up more than a hundred electronic services.

Marek Ivaňák, YMS project manager, explains: “In the last few weeks alone, the system has processed more than 30 thousand electronic submissions from 12.5 thousand registered users from among farmers and agricultural producers. This means a new submission every 10 seconds on average. Farmers used the system every hour of the day and night, during the week and on weekends, because they submitted regular mandatory reports during the designated period.”

Farmers have access to modern online forms. After logging into the system, their data such as company ID, name, address and manager are automatically loaded. The area, type of land and ownership relationships are automatically pulled from the real estate cadastre into the application by simply clicking on the map. Furthermore, the application is automatically pre-filled with information registered in the PPA, i.e. data on fertilization or cultivated plant species on their plots. In this way, the farmer no longer has to enter data repeatedly anywhere and can focus only on the subject of the specific application.

Through various types of inspection, testing, laboratory and monitoring activities of inputs to agriculture, the ÚKSÚP ensures safe and high-quality sources for the production of food and feed, so that consumers can be sure that the products of Slovak agriculture are of high quality, certified and safe. However, this is a long-term and complex process. Each entity must be registered, hold a certificate of professional competence in its field, undergo inspections and laboratory testing. IS CÚR reduces the associated administration and all actions are as simple as possible and are carried out electronically.

The CACTI is gradually transforming into a modern electronic state organization without papers, delays and bureaucracy. Successful computerization will transform the entire culture of the organization into a modern, fresh and agile one. It will give back to the experts who care about the safety of our food the time to devote to their professional work, knowing that the correctness of work procedures and data is taken care of by the IS CÚR. It will give back to farmers the energy needed to care for our land and livelihood.