In the Grand Est region, France’s second-largest agricultural region, the sugar beet sector is being hit on two fronts – intensifying climate hazards and the gradual reduction of crop protection tools. The new generation of regulatory frameworks (CSRD, SBTI FLAG, GHG Protocol LSRG) demands greater transparency, justification of assumptions, and the ability to demonstrate real progress.
For cooperatives and agri‑food companies, that means a major shift. The era of carbon accounting based on regional averages is giving way to a requirement for precise primary data from each farm. And with that, expectations have grown – companies are now required to provide personalized advice to each farmer to help them maintain yields while transitioning toward more sustainable agriculture, all while requiring them to provide precise primary data on their farming practices.
MyEasyFarm responds with AI‑powered decision support
To meet these demands, MyEasyFarm has launched MyEasyAI, a strategic €1.6 million initiative co‑developed with sugar cooperative Cristal Union and the LICIIS laboratory at the University of Reims Champagne Ardenne (URCA).
The project centres on advanced use of data and AI to create an intelligent decision‑support assistant for sugar beet production. Its goals include:
- Streamlining the collection and verification of primary farm data
- Equipping cooperative advisors with more precise, context‑specific recommendations
- Supporting Cristal Union’s agricultural and CSR teams with enhanced monitoring of sustainability performance
- Building a ‘digital twin’ of the farm to deliver transparent, explainable AI guidance
As a mission-driven company, MyEasyFarm says it has opted for a frugal approach to technology choices to ensure environmental efficiency.
The €1.6 million project is backed financially by the European Union, the French State, and the Grand Est Region, and certified by Bioeconomy For Change (B4C). It aligns closely with the French Ministry of Agriculture’s ambition to deploy AI in service of agriculture, as outlined in its recent report Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture and the Agrifood Sector.
A high‑impact alliance for decarbonisation and competitiveness
According to the partners, the MyEasyAI project is set to deliver major environmental, economic, and scientific benefits:
- 27.5% targeted reduction in GHG emissions
- 8-20% optimisation of water resources
- Real‑time, verifiable data sovereignty to replace carbon averages
- Support for 9,000 Cristal Union growers on their decarbonisation journeys
- Stronger competitiveness for the sugar beet sector
- New scientific outputs, including research publications, reinforcing the region’s AgTech excellence
MyEasyFarm’s SaaS platform already ingests satellite, machinery, soil, weather and other farm data to help the agri-food supply chain measure shifts in farming practices.
These systems enable farmers to monetize eco-friendly practices, while helping cooperatives manage manage Scope 3 emissions.
“A decisive step for regenerative agriculture”
A MyEasyFarm spokesperson called the partnership a pivotal moment for the sector, noting that primary data has become the top strategic asset for farmers navigating climate uncertainty and tightening regulations.
“With MyEasyAI, we are moving from a management tool to a true methodological partner for the farmer and their advisor,” said Guillaume Vial, head of solutions at MyEasyFarm. “Our ambition is to build the digital twin of the farm and break down the barriers of data fragmentation to offer farmers a transparent solution, where every AI recommendation is explainable and combined with their own agronomic expertise.”
Thomas Fleiter, agricultural decarbonisation manager at Cristal Union, added: “We are committed to engaging 100% of our growers in more sustainable practices and thus significantly reducing our environmental footprint. The MyEasyAI project will largely contribute to this.”
From the academic side, Luiz Angelo Steffenel, director of the LICIIS Laboratory at URCA, highlighted the significance of the collaboration:
“This is a great example of research-industry collaboration in the field of bioeconomy, which is URCA’s flagship sector.”
