Leverage

The Knowledge of Sustainability Research

In Real-World Scenarios

Building a Science-driven Path to

Sustainability

We are a research group

from

Ljubljana, Slovenia

With advanced expertise in

Data driven research

Using data mining for extracting knowledge from large datasets

Text driven research

Using text mining for extracting knowledge from textual documents

Knowledge representation

Using qualitative modeling for structured representation of experts' knowledge

User-friendly application

Making complex software solutions easy to be used and accessible

Applying our results in the fields of

Ecology

Environment

Agriculture

Forestry

Food-systems

We develop

Decision Support Systems

…. so that the knowledge
gained through advanced AI technologies
can help transforming to a sustainable society

WHY?

The amount of data and information available to decision-makers is increasing, as are the number of requirements and restrictions. The complexity of decision-making is therefore becoming increasingly unmanageable and the probability of making the wrong decisions is rising sharply.

HOW?

We collect knowledge from large amounts of data, extensive collections of scientific and technical publications and from experts. We use modern artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to organise the useful information into interpretable patterns, knowledge graphs and structured decision-making processes.

WHAT?

To aid decision-makers in reaching reliable decisions based on data, knowledge and experience, we develop advanced decision support systems. These systems provide decision-makers with a range of alternative solutions and offer a well-reasoned justification for the chosen decision.

Our Toolbox

is used for a variety of challenges

SFW Simulator
TroProScope
S-PFP Tool
IPM Adviser
BEFANA
DEXiWare
PATHFINDER
RESOURCE AMPLIFIER
SOIL NAVIGATOR
EVADIF

SFW Simulator

2025

Soil Food Web Simulator

The problem it addresses

Predicting how stressors affect soil ecosystems remains a key challenge in ecology and soil management. Disturbances like pollution, drought, or compaction can ripple through soil food webs and disrupt the ecological processes they support. Yet due to the complexity of these systems and limited data, it’s often difficult to explore such impacts in a structured way. Existing approaches tend to focus on individual indicators or rely on complex models that are difficult to handle. This creates a need for tools that can offer a simplified, first-order approximation of stressor impacts, helping users explore how soil biota and the processes they drive might respond to different disturbance scenarios.

The solution it provides

Simulating the effects of stressors on soil ecosystems can help us predict where and how ecological disruption occurs. Soil Food Web Simulator provides a way to explore these impacts by modelling how stressors influence energy flow across trophic levels and affect the performance of soil processes provided by different organisms. Users can define or select stressor effects, adjust primary producer inputs, and observe how disturbances propagate through the food web. The stepwise simulation highlights which parts of the system are most impacted and how soil functions might shift as a consequence.

Application

TroProSCOPE

2025

Soil Food Web Explorer

The problem it addresses

Despite the central role of soil organisms in delivering ecosystem functions, their contributions remain underrepresented in our assessments of soil health and decisions in soil management. This is partly due to the inherently complex and dynamic nature of soil food webs, which involve numerous interacting organisms across different trophic levels. Traditional assessment approaches often reduce this complexity to static indicators, overlooking the multifunctional roles that different soil biota perform. As a result, our ability to diagnose ecological risks, interpret biological indicators, or design targeted interventions that harness the potential of soil life is significantly constrained.

The solution it provides

Viewing soil functions through the lens of the food web reveals their anchorage in soil’s biological properties. To illustrate these connections, we have developed an interactive visualisation tool that links key soil processes with the trophic guilds and shows where in the food web these processes are anchored and which groups of organisms are involved. Users can navigate the food web to trace processes like mineralisation, aggregation or bioturbation, and follow which biological actors support them. The tool goes beyond visualisation of static indicators to emphasise the dynamic interactions among soil biota that drive key ecosystem processes.

Application

S-PFP Tool

2024

Sustainable public food procurement DSS

The problem it addresses

Local governments face the challenge of ensuring sustainable public food procurement while supporting small-scale farmers. Despite the benefits of public food procurement, such as boosting local economies and promoting sustainability, smaller farmers often struggle to participate due to complex legal and administrative requirements. This results in limited access to public procurement opportunities for small-scale producers, hindering their economic stability and the overall sustainability of the food system.

The solution it provides

To address these challenges, we have developed the Sustainable Public Food Procurement Decision Support System (S-PFP Tool). This tool helps local governments prepare procurement processes, write clear and fair tender documentation, and evaluate bidders using a comprehensive multi-criteria model. The system ensures that small-scale farmers have equal opportunities to win contracts, promoting economic stability, sustainability, and community well-being. Users can assess bidders based on various criteria, including quality, environmental responsibility, social responsibility, economic efficiency, and added value, ensuring a fair and transparent procurement process.
Application

IPM Adviser

2023

A tool for searching available DSS in the field of Integrated Pest Management in Europe

The problem it addresses

To reduce the health risks and biodiversity loss caused by the use of pesticides, farmers face the challenge of controlling pests and meeting the demand for sustainable food production. Decision Support Systems (DSS) enable the optimisation of pesticide application timing to increase pesticide efficacy and thus reduce pesticide use while maintaining crop quality and quantity. Although many DSS for integrated pest management (IPM) are available in Europe, they are not widely used due to a lack of information on the available DSS.

The solution it provides

To give users access to information on the available decision support systems for integrated pest management, we have developed the IPM Adviser. The system allows users to search for IPM decision support systems according to various criteria (e.g. country, crop, pest, data requirements, language of the DSS, etc.) that are easy to understand. In addition, up to four DSSs can be compared simultaneously to show similarities and differences between them. For each DSS, a link to its website is also provided.
Application

BEFANA

2022

A tool for biodiversity-ecosystem functioning assessment by network analysis

The problem it addresses

Soil degradation leads to a loss of soil biodiversity and a reduction in the complexity of the soil food web. This has negative cascading effects on most processes and functions provided by the soil food web. Despite the rapid increase in soil biological datasets and research interest, analyses and visualisations of the soil food web are difficult to perform, mainly because few mechanistic and predictive food web models are available.

The solution it provides

To support studies on the topology and dynamics of soil food webs and to apply selected machine learning algorithms together with statistical analyses, the BEFANA system is introduced. It is implemented in Python and provides methods and implementations for data loading and pre-processing, network analysis and interactive visualisation, modelling with experimental data and predictive modelling with machine learning.
Application

DEXiWare

2022

A development suit for building cooperative decision support systems

The problem it addresses

The rapid growth of available DSSs has unexpectedly raised doubts among their users about the reliability and trustworthiness of their results. Users show cautious scepticism, mainly due to a lack of trust, the belief that they need additional training in IT and insufficient market information about DSS. The complexity of the functional features and the design of a graphical interface are obvious problems in the development of decision support systems that would be well received by end users.

The solution it provides

To gain end-user confidence in decision support systems, a generic development suite, DEXiWare, is provided. It facilitates the development, implementation and management of decision support systems through a set of tools, functionalities and resources that help developers in the various phases of decision support system construction and deployment. DEXiWare is designed for the use of qualitative multi-attribute decision models developed with DEX methodology.
Application

PATHFINDER

2021

A decision support system for sustainability assessment of legume agri-food chains

The problem it addresses

Animal proteins are increasingly being replaced in the diet by plant proteins, mainly from pulses. The sustainable production of pulses is no guarantee of a sustainable diet. Most supply chains are still based on technical, economic and social conditions that do not meet sustainability criteria. The food supply systems for pulses are therefore faced with the problem that they largely use unsustainable practices. Ensuring a sustainable supply chain is therefore a major challenge for the transition to a sustainable society.

The solution it provides

Just as the strength of a chain is determined by the weakest link, the sustainability of supply chains is also determined by the degree of sustainability of its links. Based on environmental, economic and social criteria, Pathfinder assesses the sustainability of the individual links and the chain as a whole. If an individual pillar of sustainability (environmental, economic, social) does not meet the required level of sustainability, the system suggests improvements for the weakest link in the chain. It also offers solutions to improve overall sustainability by proposing corrections to the individual sustainability pillars and consequently to the links in the chain.
Application
RESOURCE AMPLIFIER

2021

A decision support system for optimizing management strategies of tomato production under different stress conditions

The problem it addresses

The tomato is the vegetable with the largest production volume in the world. Tomato production is one of the largest consumers of water. Due to global climate change and the associated increasing scarcity of water, its cultivation, especially on open arable land, is at risk, as this cultivation method is only possible in warm climates.

The solution it provides

Adapting to more demanding growing conditions is possible by introducing new tomato varieties with high water and nutrient efficiency. With the Resource Amplifier, users can first recognise the need to introduce new, more efficient varieties, select the most optimal varieties for a particular field or greenhouse and suggest changes to growing practices. The system also evaluates tomato production in terms of environmental impact and economic efficiency.
Application
SOIL NAVIGATOR

2019

A decision support system for assessing and optimizing soil functions

The problem it addresses

The vitality and conservation of soils in Europe are severely reduced in more than two-thirds of its area. The provision of food production and other regulating and supporting ecosystem services by the soil is therefore under threat. This is a major economic, social and environmental problem for Europe. Agriculture and other sectors actively involved with soil are faced with the need to change current soil management practices, which is a major challenge for them.

The solution it provides

Soil vitality and protection can be successfully assessed and monitored based on soil functions (soil nutrients, soil water, food production, greenhouse gas reduction, soil biodiversity). Soil Navigator assesses the extent to which soil functions are fulfilled based on the physical, chemical and biological soil properties and the agronomic measures applied. If we want to improve certain functions, the system suggests soil management measures to achieve this.
Application

EVADIF

2017

A decision support system for the risk management of water pollution by phytochemical products

The problem it addresses

Despite very strict regulations on the use of pesticides, they are still found in water, often in concentrations that exceed the legal limits. The use of pesticides therefore poses an ecological risk to the environment. Fulfilling the requirements for the environmentally compatible use of pesticides without negative effects on the environment is a major challenge for users.

The solution it provides

Based on the soil characteristics, the agrotechnical measures carried out and the hydro-meteorological description of the place where the selected pesticide is to be used, the EVADIF system assesses the level of risk of contamination of surface or groundwater. If the system predicts a risk, it offers the user a series of measures that reduce the risk to an environmentally acceptable level or eliminate it. When selecting the proposed measures, the system takes into account the user’s economic and technical capabilities.

Our Projects

drive sustainable solutions and environmental resilience

European Partnership “Agriculture of Data” - Unlocking the potential of data for sustainable agriculture (2024-2031)
GREEN NUDGEs for sustainable FORESTry and AGRIcultural practices post 2027 (2024-2028)
Valorising and balancing the ecosystem service benefits offered by legumes, and legume-based cropped systems (2024 - 2027)
Building a European network to advance soil research, monitor soil health and advocate for sustainable land use (2023-2027)
Towards a Mediterranean WEFE Nexus Community of Practice (2022-2026)
ReAlising DynamIc vAlue chaiNs for underuTilised crops (2021-2025)
IPM Decisions Stepping-up IPM decision support for crop protection (2019-2024)
European Soil-Biology Data Warehouse for Soil Protection (2019-2024)
Transition paths to sustainable legume based systems in Europe (2017-2021)
A novel and integrated approach to increase multiple and combined stress tolerance in plants using tomato as a model (2017-2021)
LAND Management: Assessment, Research, Knowledge base (2015-2019)
2024
2024
2024
2023
2022
2021
2019
2017
2017
2017
2015
Agriculture for data
The partnership aims to improve climate, environmental, and socio-economic sustainability, as well as increase agricultural productivity, while enhancing policy monitoring and evaluation capabilities. These goals will be achieved by utilizing Earth and environmental observation data, along with innovative technologies.
GreenNudge
ForestAgriGreenNudges aims to promote sustainable practices in farming and forestry using "nudges"—subtle interventions in decision-making. The project will review existing initiatives that use Green Nudges and evaluate them based on two criteria: efficacy in promoting long-term sustainable practices and adherence to ethical guidelines like transparency and participation. Successful nudges will be tested, refined, and shared via an online tool, iNUDGE Academy, providing guidelines, business models, and market conditions.
LegumES
Ecosystem services provided by legume crops will be studied to understand and maximize their benefits for the environment and economy, from individual fields to the global scale, helping to reduce pollution, fight climate change, protect nature, and produce nutritious food. The legumES research and innovation strategy centres on the use of a multiactor action-research approach, that is, where legume-facing stakeholders, and especially producers through all value chains actors, can ‘operate’, ‘collaborate’ and, reflect critically on the measured ES benefits and costs of legume-based cropped systems, including legumes use in marginal lands.
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BENCHMARKS
BENCHMARKS proposes the co-development within 24 European case studies of a multi-scale and multi-user focused monitoring framework that is transparent, harmonised and cost-effective. Underpinned by the best scientific knowledge and technologies this framework provides a clear soil health index for benchmarking, using indicators that are pertinent to the objective of assessment, applicable to the land use and logistically feasible.
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WeFe4Med
The overall objective of the WEFE4MED Project is to foster the adoption of a Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus approach in the Mediterranean through a Nexus Community of Practice (NCoP) to confront the climatic and environmental challenges facing societies and agro-ecological systems. Bringing together practitioners, scientists, policymakers, civil society, media, entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors, the project aim to facilitate the identification, testing, dissemination and replication of Nexus solutions in the Mediterranean.
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RADIANT
RADIANT implements a suite of strategic and fully inclusive multi-actor engagement methods to co-develop solutions and tools to ensure that agrobiodiversity in the form of underutilised crops (UCs) is realised via Dynamic Value Chains (DVCs). The JSI project team aims to develop a decision support systems that will help producers of underutilised crops to reach the market using a dynamic value chain concept.
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IPM decisions
The project IPM Decisions aims to develop a pan-European online platform for pest monitoring and management. The platform is available across the EU with DSS, data, tools and resources tailored to each region. The JSI project team is involved in research activities on the barriers that prevent farmers and farm advisors to use of the existing IPM DSS and into the development of incentives that will improve the use of IPM DSS.
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EUdaphobase
The EUdaphobase COST Action aims to create the structures and procedures necessary for developing an open Europe-wide soil biodiversity data infrastructure. The ultimate goal of EUdaphobase is to establish a pan- European soil-biological data and knowledge warehouse, which can be used for understanding, protecting and sustainably managing soils, their biodiversity and functions. The main task of the JSI group is data analysis and modelling using data mining and machine learning methods.
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TRUE
The aim of the project TRUE was to identify the best routes, or “transition paths” to increase sustainable legume cultivation and consumption across Europe.The JSI project team has developed the Pathfinder decision support system for the assessment and management of the sustainability of agri-food chain consisting of five links (production, processing, transport, retail, and consumption).
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TOMRES
The EU-funded TomRes project aims to provide a much-needed solution through extensive research of tomato crops and development efforts for its cultivation threaten by water and nutrient stress. The project aim is to select a variety of accessions that exhibit tolerance to stress while maintaining high quality and yield. This process involves identifying desirable traits that contribute to stress tolerance. The project conducted rigorous testing and optimisation of different tomato cultivation strategies.
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LANDMARK
LANDMARK is a European Research Project on the sustainable management of land and soil in Europe. JSI project team has developed the Soil navigator decision support system for the assessment and management of five soil functions: Primary productivity, Water purification and regulation, Carbon sequestration, cycling and regulation, Provision of functional and intrinsic biodiversity, and Provision and cycling of nutrients.
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Our Team

creates impact through expertise and collaboration

Marko Debeljak

prof. Marko Debeljak, PhD

Group chair, senior researcher

Marko Debeljak is senior researcher and chair of the EcoEnvAI Group in the Department of Knowledge Technology at the Jozef Stefan Institute. The group focuses on applying various artificial intelligence (AI) methods to develop advanced decision support systems (DSS) that promote the sustainable management of natural resources. Marko Debeljak has a PhD in forest ecology and has been working as an ecological modeller using AI methods for more than 25 years. For the last 15 years, he has specialised in the development of AI-based DSS with a particular focus on sustainable agricultural and food systems. He has participated in more than 15 European research projects and published more than 70 papers. He collaborates with the leading European research institutes and universities in the field of agriculture and teaches ecological modelling as an associate professor at the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, the University of Ljubljana and the University of Tennessee, USA.

Tanja

Tanja Dergan, PhD

Researcher

Tanja Dergan holds a PhD in agronomy economics from the Biotechnical Faculty at the University of Ljubljana. In her PhD thesis, she worked on the sustainability assessment of agri-food chains using the DEX method. Her work bridges the gap between agri-food systems and advanced decision support systems with the aim of improving the overall sustainability and efficiency of the agri-food sector. In her research, she is also focused on public food procurement and its potential to support sustainable food systems..

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Bojan Blažica, PhD

Senior researcher

Bojan Blažica is a senior researcher with the EcoEnvAI team, specializing in web interfaces for decision support systems and applying large language models to environmental and sustainability topics. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Ljubljana and holds a Ph.D. in intelligent user interfaces, focusing on artificial intelligence in human-computer interaction. As a founder of the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community and the HCI-SI conference in Slovenia, he emphasizes a user-centered approach in his work. Bojan is also the co-founder and product manager of Tomappo, a web and mobile app for hobby gardening. In addition to his primary research, he has worked on biomechanical measurement devices, serious games for rehabilitation and sports, and applying sports training in aging studies.

Jurij

Jurij Marinko, MSc

PhD Student

Jurij Marinko holds a master’s degree in agronomy from the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana. In his master's thesis, he investigated the effectiveness of plant strengtheners on selected harmful and beneficial organisms and their potential as an alternative to pesticides. His desire to help farmers reduce the use of pesticides led him to pursue a PhD at the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, where he is researching barriers and incentives for the adoption of decision support systems (DSS) in agriculture. His passion for nature conservation and supporting sustainable agricultural practises is also reflected in his work on other agroecological topics addressed by the EcoEnvAI research team.

Created with GIMP

Vid Podpečan, PhD

Senior Researcher

Vid Podpečan is a senior researcher at the Jožef Stefan Institute, specializing in machine learning and data mining. He earned his BSc in Computer Science from the University of Ljubljana in 2007, followed by a PhD from the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School in 2013. His research interests span various domains, including natural language processing, network analysis, robotics, and life sciences, with a particular emphasis on plant biology and soil science. He has co-authored two scientific monographs and published 25 original research articles. He has actively participated in numerous European and national research projects. He is also dedicated to education and the promotion of STEAM disciplines, focusing on robotics, programming, and art.

Manca

Manca Topole, MSc

Technical associate

Manca Topole graduated from the University of Ljubljana with a BSc in Agriculture – Agronomy and has completed her Master's degree in Agronomy. The research for her master's thesis was part of the EUdaphobase COST Action, where she focused on soil biodiversity data in the Balkans and its use for environmental assessments. As a technical associate, she continues her research at the Jožef Stefan Institute, focusing on the soil food web and exploring the functional links between soil communities and soil health to support sustainable land management practices.

Interested in a

Collaboration?

We regularly team up with a range of different professions, including

Practitioners

who want to increase the sustainability in their particular field of work

Researchers

who are interested in the scientific methods behind decision support systems

Policy-makers

who are looking to take long term actions to improve the sustainability of society

You?

Have a project idea for increasing sustainability in a knowledge-driven way?

Get in touch

by sending us an email or via LinkedIn