news 28.10.2026

Smart Agriculture Frontier brought 35 Chinese students to Finland to explore smart farming solutions

Photographer

Kamson Chan

Students in the fields of natural resources, technology and environmental studies from seven Chinese universities came to Finland in August to learn about Finnish smart agriculture, the bioeconomy and data-driven solutions.

During the Smart Agriculture Frontier 2026 programme, the students explored topics such as sustainable food production, the digitalisation of agriculture, the use of satellite and sensor data, and various smart farming technologies. In addition to classroom learning, the programme included visits and practical demonstrations.

Hackathon puts learning into practice through real-world challenges

The programme concluded with the AgriData Innovation Challenge hackathon, where student teams put their learning into practice by developing solutions that use data to support farmers’ decision-making.

Jamk experts mentored the teams, providing expertise and guidance on smart agriculture and data-driven solutions, as well as on commercialising and presenting their ideas.

The solutions addressed challenges such as reducing nutrient runoff, precision farming, detecting crop pests, and strengthening collaboration between farmers and consumers.

The winning team developed a concept for determining when nutrient-rich runoff water should be collected and reused. The jury praised the solution for being concrete, clear and well justified, and considered it feasible to implement in practice.

Jamk's expertise provides a foundation for international education programmes

During the first week, the University of Helsinki provided a broad theoretical foundation in bioeconomy and sustainable development. Jamk then complemented this with hands-on learning comibining technology, innovation and exposure to real-world agricultural environments.

Jamk’s contribution drew on the Smart Bioeconomy Bootcamp concept, which combines teaching, site visits and a concluding hackathon where participants put what they have learned into practice.

Smart Agriculture Frontier demonstrated that Finnish smart bioeconomy expertise has international appeal and can provide a foundation for future collaboration. By exploring Finnish solutions, participants gained knowledge and ideas that they can adapt to their own operating environments. The programme also opened up new perspectives on how smart agriculture solutions can be applied in different agricultural conditions.

The Smart Agriculture Frontier programme was delivered in collaboration between Jamk University of Applied Sciences’ Institute of Bioeconomy and the University of Helsinki, commissioned by Sumino Oy, a company specialising in Finnish education export.