Trusted Fields, Connected Futures: The Case for Global Field ID

The agri-food system is at a crossroads, facing the dual challenge of meeting rising food demand while addressing urgent environmental issues such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. As technology transforms farming and supply chains, data has become a vital input for production. Consider how the banking sector relies on IBAN numbers or how supply chain logistics depend on barcodes—shared digital infrastructure that enables trusted data exchange and efficiency. Yet, unlike these sectors, agriculture remains hindered by fragmented and incompatible systems: each actor collects data differently, every field is represented differently, and every transaction requires costly reconciliation –  resulting in inefficiencies, higher compliance costs, and increased supply chain risks.

Global Field ID is a universal identifier for every agricultural field in the world—essentially a “barcode for land.  By providing a common geospatial reference, GFID enables seamless data alignment and interoperability across platforms, empowering all stakeholders—from farmers to governments—to “speak the same language.”  Global Field ID serves as the backbone of Onix—a global framework for farm and field data exchange. It provides the “digital rails” that enable agricultural data to move securely, transparently, and with the farmer’s consent across systems and borders.

This publication outlines how Global Field ID, as part of the Onix framework, offers a practical path forward for the agri-food sector. By establishing a universal, trusted identifier for every field, GFID addresses the longstanding challenges of data fragmentation and lack of interoperability. Through real-world examples and a clear roadmap, this brochure demonstrates how GFID and Onix can unlock new efficiencies, strengthen transparency, and empower all stakeholders to build a more resilient, sustainable and connected food system.