In recent years, the need for broadband and high-speed internet connectivity has been steadily increasing, a trend accelerated further by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of access to broadband and high-speed internet predominantly affects areas distant from urban centers and rural regions. These areas, often considered commercially less viable, pose greater challenges for investment and development compared to other regions.
COMMECT, a European Union project with Turkcell and the Izmir Olive Research Institute Directorate as partners, aims to bridge the digital divide by providing high-quality and reliable internet access for agricultural producers living in rural and remote areas. Launched in September 2022, the project seeks to enhance productivity and quality in olive cultivation, one of Turkey’s most significant agricultural products, using technological advancements. By doing so, it aims to improve the prosperity of rural agricultural producers through the benefits of digitalization.
As part of its goal to expand broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas, the COMMECT project will integrate non-terrestrial networks with terrestrial XG (2G, 3G, 4.5G, or 5G) access networks. Using artificial intelligence and network automation, the project also aims to achieve energy savings at both the access network and core network levels by optimizing resource utilization.
For three years, Turkcell, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, will monitor olive groves online using mobile infrastructure and IoT technology to track potential impacts on olive trees. Data collected through the project’s “living laboratories” will be made available to benefit olive producers in Turkey.
COMMECT also aims to contribute to the balanced regional development of rural areas and communities in the European Union by making smart agriculture and forestry services accessible to all. As part of this, the project plans to develop a decision support tool that will provide recommendations for the best network connectivity solutions based on technical, socio-economic, and environmental considerations. This tool is expected to improve employment, trade, and investment opportunities in rural areas while enhancing services such as healthcare, education, e-government, and other public utilities, thereby improving the quality of life.
Under these primary objectives, a living laboratory focusing on smart olive farming has been established in Turkey. Collaborative efforts are being carried out by 14 ministry technical personnel from three different provinces and engineers from Turkcell. Digital traps, climate devices, and other monitoring tools are being installed in olive groves to collect data, with the goal of providing environmentally friendly and optimized agricultural recommendations. Additionally, training sessions on olive farming are being provided to agricultural communities in rural areas to support their socio-economic integration.
Developed under the Horizon Europe Program, COMMECT is a project consortium comprising 20 partner organizations from 10 different countries. During the planning and proposal stages, numerous meetings were held at various levels. Ultimately, the COMMECT project, consisting of seven work packages from different countries, was deemed worthy of support by the European Union.
