Consistency of Open Data as Prerequisite for Usability in Agriculture

Abstract

Benefits of open data are diverse and range from improved efficiency of public administrations, economic growth in the private sector. Agriculture is also an inseparable part of the private sector. These data can stimulate economic growth. Economy can benefit from an easier access to information, content and knowledge in turn contributing to the development of innovative services and creation of new business models (European Data Portal, 2016). The prerequisite of this stimulation is consistency of open data. Both of these features have to be a part of these data quality. However, this aspect of open data quality has not yet been satisfactorily resolved in the framework of international standardization of quality (Systems and Software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE)). The issue of possible evaluation of open data consistency in agriculture is discussed. Results suggest that open data consistency may be achieved by consistent application of the technique of data normalization of relevant data sets. Consistent application of data normalization technique of open data sets can reduce the risk of inconsistency of the open data. That is the only way to guarantee that the open data will be the benefit to private sector.