Co-Designing Decision Support Systems for Niche Agriculture: Medjool Date Thinning

The adoption of agricultural decision support systems (DSS) remains lower than anticipated, particularly in small, rural sectors with unique needs. This study applies a participatory design approach to align future DSS with farmers’ practices and priorities. Although relatively small, the Israeli Medjool date sector has a major role in global date production and national agricultural exports. Effective fruit thinning is critical for fruit weight, quality, and yield, yet no DSS currently supports thinning protocol decisions. To address this gap, we engaged farmers directly in the design process, integrating their expertise into system requirements. Qualitative and experimental methods were employed over three years, including open-ended interviews and annual in-field fruitlet counts. A foundational workflow was first mapped to capture the existing thinning process and highlight knowledge gaps. We then identified key factors guiding thinning decisions, evaluated farmers’ perceptions of their relevance, and examined how protocol consistency influences field workers’ performance. Findings show that farmers consistently prioritize fruit weight, yield, and revenue, despite differing management styles. Importantly, greater consistency in planning was significantly correlated with reduced deviations in field implementation. This suggests that DSS may foster adaptive decision-making strategies that improve protocol efficacy, though possibly at the cost of in-field precision. The study demonstrates the potential of participatory design to develop tailored DSS for niche agricultural groups. By capturing farmers’ knowledge and preferences, this approach offers a pathway toward context-specific tools that enhance adoption, sustainability, and innovation in specialized crop sectors.