The Persephone Project

The main objective of the Persephone Project is to build a comprehensive 'closed loop' data framework to improve the production, sustainability, quality and consumption of agricultural products.

The Persephone Project further recognises that stakeholders are integral to and the ultimate object of the system and so will adopt a 'Wealth Creation through Distribution' policy based on Metcalf's law. The project has the ambitious target of reaching and including half a billion small farmers in order to provide:

1) Access to relevant agricultural data
2) Tools for sustainable management of natural resources 
3) Access to virtual and physical marketplaces
4) Automated mechanisms to manage produce logistics and authenticate origin.

In addition the framework will aim to generate significant 'real time' land use and environmental data at the local, state and national scales in order to provide users, markets and governmental bodies with accurate crop and environmental data.

With the majority of small and subsistence farmers not being formally educated in plant and agricultural sciences they lack knowledge in both crop cultivation and the maintenance of soil fertility. The Persephone Project intends to provide tailored advice based on data the farmers supply to improve crop and soil husbandry.

Furthermore lack of organisation in resource and infrastructure management at the local and national scales means farmers often fail to efficiently utilise the resources available to them or to subsequently gain timely access to relevant markets for their produce. This leads to lower yields and crop losses both at the production level and post harvest. The Persephone project will identify these resources and assist farmers in the equitable and efficient use of them. It will further connect farmers so that crop data can be shared with markets and then harvested collectively in order to efficiently supply the markets.

This problem applies to the majority of small farmers in Nepal and to the estimated half billion subsistence farmers world wide. The UN FAO estimates that as much as 1/3rd of global food production is wasted before reaching the market place. (http://www.fao.org/food-loss-and-food-waste/en/)

The Persephone ecosystem is a framework in which all data can be aggregated, disseminated and then used to target solutions to individual farmers. Being modular rather than a single homogeneous structure, with 'no component within the network relying on another to function and no component essential to the function of the network as a whole' it is robust and negates the potential for a single point of failure in the network. The modular design contains four core and two sympathetic components:

Despoena - Agricultural Resource Database and Management Tools

Paradigm - Agricultural and Environmental Database

Gateway - Entry level Crypto-currency tailored for subsistence farmers

VAMp - Virtual Agricultural Marketplaces

Juggernaut - Semi Autonomous Produce Logistics

IPAL - Independent Produce Authenticity Log

Built upon the the ADS stack concept of Application, Database and Storage layers The Persephone project is capable of supplying critical data to small farmers, opening access to wider markets and improving produce logistics and authenticity. It is similarly all encompassing with the ability to add other features, to communicate and interoperate with other electronic networks built upon the same stack architecture and assimilate other projects into the network.

The principal target population are small and subsistence farmers who occupy 2ha or less of land. By working directly with them and with Nepali and international scientists we are developing strategies to identify their specific problems and addressing them through collaborative projects that involve all stakeholders: the farmers, national and international research institutions and regional and national government bodies.

Keeping farmers central and working directly with them we hope to improve their crop and soil husbandry skills whilst simultaneously integrating them into a larger data ecosystem. To further support them and inform the markets they supply and relevant government agencies the Persephone project will collect and dissemination real time data on soil and water resources, crop progress, harvest dates and estimated yields. All parties will be able to access critical data to ensure that logistical mechanisms are efficiently managed to maximise market opportunities and minimise loses. Government agencies will similarly be able to use the data to develop policy and apply aid that meets with the farmers individual needs.

The Persephone Project addresses the problem of sustainable food systems through an integrated ecosystem built upon data farmers supply. Data is then used to provide access to relevant knowledge in crop and soil husbandry. Furthermore it integrates and aggregates the data to ensure that resources across a catchment area are managed sustainably and intended markets are supplied with real time data on progress, harvest dates and estimated yields so logistical mechanisms can be timely and efficiently deployed. Government agencies are similarly kept informed with with crop data so that relevant aid and support can be anticipated and applied.

What makes the Persephone Project unique is that it seeks to create an integrated data network that is specifically built upon the data supplied by farmers. It then uses that data to tailor advice to the farmers needs whilst simultaneously aggregating that data to create virtual co-operatives so that neighbouring farmers can share resources equitable and supply markets collectively. It furthermore integrates distributed mechanisms and blockchain technology so that government agencies can identify and respond to specific farmer needs and anticipate problems before they become crisis's.

Unlike other solutions it's strength is in its reach and comprehensiveness. The bigger the network becomes the more benefits individual farmers, markets and government agencies will receive. The Persephone Project doesn't seek to compete but to cooperate and assimilate other ideas and projects into it so that collectively we can solve the Worlds environmental and climate problems. None will be left behind.

The Persephone Project is built upon a distributed data network managed by curated nodes. At its heart is the Land Use Inventory (LUI); a self performed audit of the farm and it's resources. By performing the audit and uploading the data to the network farmers will earn tokens and gain entry to the Gateway token ecosystem. The data in the LUI will then be matched with scientific data in Paradigm to provide farmers with soil, crop and livestock husbandry advice. The LUI will similarly supply data to DAO's (Distributed Autonomous Organisations) which in turn will provide resource management services at catchment and regional level. Other DAO's will keep markets via VAMp informed of crop progress throughout the growing season.

Paradigm: the worlds environmental knowledge in a single accessible commons database. A structured searchable database that will power the applications of Despoena. Moving beyond agriculture Paradigm will grow to become a repository for all our knowledge on the planets biosphere; a comprehensive library to manage the Planet's ecosystem.

Virtual Agricultural Marketplaces (VAMp) will allow farmers to advertise their produce to physical marketplaces. Real time data from the DAO's and the management apps will keep the VAMp up to date with crop progress and expected harvest dates.

Gateway, an Entry Level Crypto-currency that functions as a means to raise capital (ICO) and then as an entry level crypto-currency for subsistence farmers. With permissioned nodes, large blocks and verified wallet owners Gateway will be a secure, low cost and user orientated blockchain.

The Persephone project relies on integrating existing technology: mobile phone apps will upload data on land use to a distributed database. This will then be match with scientific and market data to provide farmers with advice on crop and soil husbandry and market needs. Together with novel new concepts (Distributed Autonomous Organisation (DAO’s)) and supply chain auditing (blockchain) it will create virtual co-operatives and manage logistics to supply market requirements.

With the notable exception of DAO’s all the technology and software systems exist and are extensively used throughout industry and society. What doesn’t exist is the mechanism to integrate these technologies, the very mechanism DAO’s need to work: This is the Persephone Project; a data framework to integrate existing technologies and provide the platform for novel new ones to flourish.

The Persephone project is a topological framework that brings disparity entities together into a structured mechanism in order to form data cooperatives. Instead of competing for resources and markets farmers will be able to equitable share those resources on a need basis determined by the data. They will similarly be able to better plan to meet the market requirements thus avoiding over and under production. They will maintain their independence but at the same time be able to respond to the economic, social and environmental factors without having to actually analyse or monitor them: this will be done by the network freeing them of concerns and allowing them to concentrate on production.

The Persephone Project is (was) currently serving 20 people and is in discussion to include more (Covid19 has negatively impacted our ability to increase participation) . We are at the pilot stage for most of our projects and should we secure sufficient funding anticipate that within a year we will be serving more than 1000 farmers in Nepal and within two years all of Nepal. The network is recursive and inclusive; farmers can join at any time, and in doing so they add value to the network for it gains strength and robustness in growth.

We anticipate that with sufficient funding we can reach 200,000 or more farmers across South East Asia in five years and within ten include every subsistence farmer with access to mobile technology across the entire globe.

The Persephone project aims to reach and provide critical data to every farmer on the planet. We aim to do it at breakneck speed. Like a new dawn, a new day, yesterdays storm will seem far far behind. None will be left behind

Our immediate goal is to establish pilot operations, concentrating first on delivering soil fertility benefits (biochar and carbon sequestration) and basic crop husbandry advice. Over the next year we hope to expand this into a Nationwide pilot project in Nepal. We will keep expanding the resources, improving the soils and husbandry advice as we build a comprehensive land use database based on soil and crop data. Over the next five years, beginning with countries in South East Asia we will mirror the project which will then be rolled out globally. In order to achieve this objective we will establish a data centre in Pokhara Nepal to build the apps and manage the pilot projects. We will constantly test the network resilience, analyse the data and hone the concept. We will then replicate and integrate the data model in other regions so as to build a distributed network serving farmers by region whilst simultaneously aggregating the data to provide statistics on land use and crop production across scales.

We currently lack the finances and technical expertise to build the main data infrastructure, Thus we have been concentrating on developing the practical components of the system: the LUI, the soil improvement and crop advice program. The lack of finances is similarly the chief reason for the lack of technical expertise. In short we can't afford the programmers for database, mobile app and blockchain construction. We are similarly restricted by lack of funding to the extent that we can reach with the crop and soil programs and we further anticipate that in some jurisdictions there may be barriers to the use of blockchain technology to distribute payments and DAO’s to manage those payments.

To overcome the lack of technical expertise in database construction and app development we will, subject to securing funding, create a development centre so that we can employ the software and database developers to build the network. To overcome resistance to blockchain technology we will involve central government and its finance institutions to monitor and regulate the operation. Furthermore we will authenticate all wallet holders and will put limits on the size and number of transactions any one wallet holder can initiate thus discouraging speculation and margin trading. These steps will prevent secondary trading of crypto currency on exchanges or the use of tokens to export wealth. These steps should alleviate those concerns.

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We have four main team members and two affiliate members but with lockdown it has been difficult to progress the project. 

The core team consists of three scientists based on three continents (USA, Australia and South East Asia). All four are graduates in Soil and Habitat management disciplines, two of which are in the process of completing PhD's in Soil Fertility (USA) and Carbon Sequestration (Australia). In addition there are two more associate members both in post Doctorate positions, one an associate professor at the University of Reading (UK) and the other an assistant professor at the Institute of Forestry Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Once and if funding is secured this will be expanded in the first instance to include database, blockchain and mobile app developers and as the network grows more science and technology specialist. At the present time all our core team members work on a voluntary basis.  

The team's core strengths are in Soil Science, Horticulture and Habitat Management bringing together a comprehensive set of skills in the cultivation of crops and management of soils and habitats: this being essential if the databases, mobile apps and blockchain mechanisms envisaged are to are deliver the data management, aggregation and services needed to supply farmers with critical knowledge, markets with crop progress and governments with the data required to deliver policy and aid. 

We were partnering with one local organisation (ADAOS) to create a demonstration and training operation in soil management an crop cultivation. Furthermore we are in negotiation to expands this with partnership proposals with other local organisations. However as with many aspects of our program Corvid19 has impacted on our ability to develop these partnership programs to the extent we would have liked but we anticipate that once the pandemic is over we will be able to resume these programs without any adverse consequences. 

We are similarly partnering with Reading University and Tribhuvan University to develop the soil fertility and carbon sequestration program using biochar. This is a pilot operation that we are hopeful will blossom into a long term applied and research program that we will extend across the whole of Nepal. 

The key customers are government, academic institutions and NGO’s with the the main beneficiaries being small and subsistence farmers. As the network grows and the services develop those customers will themselves become beneficiaries as data gathering and analysis provides reliable statistics for policy and research direction.

The services we supply in the first instance are training in crop and soil husbandry. Followed by opportunities for research programs by academic institutions. Data gathering and analysis of the first two will then feed back into government policy and aid programs.

These services are provided through demonstration and workshop initiatives, registration of farmers and farming enterprises, reconnaissance, monitoring and land assessment for academic research. The data then gathered being aggregated for Government and Policy utilisation.

small and subsistence farmers lack essential knowledge in crop and soil husbandry whilst Government bodies lack data on the activities of small farmers. Research institutions require opportunities to measure improvements in real case operations. Through the Persephone project ecosystem all three key beneficiaries will be able to interact.

We are applying to Solve for the funding and technical expertise we need to build the data ecosystem that supports our training and ground work in crop and soil husbandry. With Solve funding we can build the data centre, employ local (Nepali and Indian) developers and with the technical expertise, mentoring and strategic advice from Solve and MIT networks build the ecosystem envisaged.

As much of our work relies on the building of the IT infrastructure and our team are largely soil scientists and agronomists our main interest is in forging partnerships with IT professionals and institutions. Furthermore we lack both the funds and the skills to independently employ database, web and App developers. Thus we need both the funding to employ and assistance in finding and assessing the skills of those we employ to build the network and create the supportive data apps. Similarly we are not business orientated but research and technical and so whilst we can develop the training, demonstration and scientific monitoring programs we are not adept at building the business model or connecting with industry. Thus it is in IT and business development that we most need to find partners

As well as wishing to partner with MIT we are currently seeking partnership with the Shutteworth Foundation and its fellows, several of whom are working on related projects. Similarly we are in the process of building collaborative projects with Reading University and Tribhuvan University with respect to carbon sequestration programs and are also open to and actively seeking partnership with industry to build the biochar and biodesel plants needed for the carbon sequestration programs.

In the long term we hope to partner with more academic institutions and research groups, particularly those with large scientific databases (i.e Kew Gardens and the Natural History Museum) that we can parse into the Paradigm database.

In order to verify data supplied by farmers we hope to use satellite and remotely sensed data and maps. Whilst this verification process could be automated using AI we in the first instance need human verification. This verification could be performed by refugees who would be paid for the maps then annotate using the Gateway crypto currency. Funds they accumulate being convertible into goods and services either within the camp or saved for when they are repatriated/resettled and wish to start farming activities.

We intend to build DAO’s which will harness AI to better allocate and utilise resources based on farmer need (Despeona). AI built into other DAO’s will also be used to estimate crop progress and harvest dates to advise markets (VAMp) and then to manage the logistics of efficient transportation to markets (Juggernaut and IPAL).

Despoena: Agricultural Resource Database and Management Tools

Despoena is a database of land use and resource availability complimented by a suite of apps designed to aid crop, soil, livestock and resource management at the farm, catchment and regional levels. At its heart is the Land Use Inventory (LUI); a self performed audit of the farm and it's resources. By performing the audit and uploading the data to the network the farmer will earn tokens and gain entry to the Gateway token ecosystem. The data in the LUI will then be matched with scientific data in Paradigm to provide the farmer with soil, crop and livestock husbandry advice. The LUI will also supply data to DAO's which in turn will provide resources management services at the catchment and regional level. Other DAO's will keep markets via the VAMp informed of crop progress through out the growing season.

VAMp : Virtual Agricultural Marketplaces

Virtual Agricultural Marketplaces will be built so that farmers can advertise their produce to physical marketplaces. Real time data from the DAO's and the management apps will keep the VAMp up to date with crop progress and expected harvest dates. It is envisaged that the VAMp will encourage a dynamic relationship between the farmers and the physical markets to evolve so that the two plan together. An 'Agricultural Bazaar' where farmers can use their Gateway (GTE) tokens to buy and sell certified seeds, tools and other aids to crop production is also envisaged. Both aspects will be engineered and managed to encourage sustainable development and generate real value into the Gateway token ecosystem.

Juggernaut: Semi Autonomous Produce Logistics

Juggernaut is a complimentary service to the existing transport and logistic industries. Using mapping technology it will connect disparate entities in the supply chain and then plan the logistical movements of those goods. With the aim to reduce transport costs, improve delivery times and reduce cargo losses Juggernaut is seen as an intermediate stage to a fully autonomous logistics network.

IPAL: International Produce Authenticity Log

IPAL is a blockchain supply chain tool to track the movement of goods From Farm to Fork and provide an authenticity log to the final consumer.

Summary

Whilst all the components in the Persephone ecosystem are stand alone, (none are integral to the whole system), each component will be designed with the others in mind to give fast seamless operation across the network. Separation of function serving to make upgrades and maintenance to the system easier and providing robustness by negating the potential for a single point of failure or attack to the network. The ecosystem herein described should not be regarded as extensive but a summary of what can be achieved.