Common Information Model for Agriculture (CIMA) 1.0 Release Candiate

After much work, revision and population (testing) from existing data sets we are very excited to announce the 1.0 Release Candidate of the Common Information Model for Agriculture (CIMA).

CIMA is an ontology (a model for the isness of things) that formally describes a data model and includes robust, globally unique identifiers for all the types of things we want to talk about and the properties these things exhibit.

CIMA 1.0 mainly focuses on dairy productions, but many of the abstractions have wider applicability and represent generalised patterns. An example of this is a common set of asbtractions to model samples, tests and test results. We have already done a lot of work towards a 1.1 release that includes more model constructs around feed and fields. The CIMA 1.0 model is available as browseable html and downloadable formal model.

We would like to extend our thanks to all our partners and other collaborators that have helped refine the model and get it to where it is today.

Our goal for embarking upon this initiative is to help reduce the cost and complexity when sharing data between organisations and internally, and to encourage reuse of terminology and identifiers. By adopting these standards the amount of mapping work that needs to be done can be reduced - resulting in faster and more accurate usage of the data.

Coupled with the Universal Data API for standardised data sharing we are creating a data space in the agriculture sector that is focused on putting data to work, wherever it is needed, to support farmers and the industry to more effectively create a sustainable farming eco-system.