Spoke 6 opens registrations and presents the training course "Agri-tech Training: Precision Viticulture," provided by the University of Pavia and the Riccagioia Foundation.   Targeted at personnel working in primary agribusiness and related sectors, with a focus on SMEs, the course offers the opportunity to explore the potential of modern technologies applied to viticulture. Using tools such as sensors, drones, and data analysis, participants will learn how to monitor and manage vineyards more efficiently.   The program, spread over four days (July 13, 14, 15, and 23, 2024), includes both online and in-person sessions, offering a flexible and accessible learning opportunity.   Among the instructors are industry experts such as Federica Beccati and Matteo Petito from IBF Servizi, along with Cesare Cangero from Bayer Crop Science. These specialists will guide participants through key topics such as remote sensing, the use of geographic information systems (GIS), and vine bio-protection practices.   At the end of the course, participants will receive a recognized certificate in the form of an Open badge, attesting to the skills acquired during the training. For companies interested in improving their viticultural practices through technological innovation, the Agri-tech Training course offers a professional development opportunity not to be missed.   INFORMATION

In the recent edition of the first Student Challenge for the Primary Agri-food Industry promoted by Spoke 6 "Primary Agri-food Industry," three companies stood out as proposers of innovation and digitization challenges. The winners are two wine companies from Oltrepò Pavese, Rossetti&Scrivani and Calatroni, along with Ape dei Monti, a honey industry company.   Students from the Advanced Digital Marketing course in the Digital Communication program of the University of Pavia, coordinated by Professor Elisa Conz, will respond to the marketing challenges proposed by the three companies. These challenges include rebranding and positioning for Rossetti&Scrivani, developing a new product offering for Ape dei Monti, and revising the communication proposal for Calatroni.    The challenge will involve students in creating digital marketing plans to improve brand awareness, engagement, and conversions at national and international levels. Students will also need to consider how companies currently use or intend to use digital communication tools to promote their history, sustainability, and product quality, highlighting cultural identity, innovation, and sustainability.    This initiative not only provides students with the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice in real-world contexts but also promotes collaboration between the academic and entrepreneurial worlds, encouraging innovation and the development of creative solutions. The Challenge promises to be a formative and rewarding experience for all participants.   For more information on the challenge, the proposed challenges, and the winners, please visit the page for the official call.     CALL AND WINNERS

In the context of the growing digitalization of the agricultural sector, two Sicilian companies, Agrigeos and Lualtek, have joined forces to launch the SPIDAP project - Development of a Digital Platform based on Artificial Intelligence for Precision Citrus Farming. This initiative, funded under the Southern Cascade Calls of Spoke 6 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), represents a turning point in optimizing agricultural practices on the island.   Agrigeos, headquartered in Acireale, and Lualtek from Comiso, have taken the initiative to concretely address the challenges faced by Sicilian citrus farmers, who must deal with a warm-arid environment and the consequent need to manage water resources precisely.   The SPIDAP project stands out for its innovative approach, based on the use of advanced technologies and the integration of artificial intelligence systems to optimize irrigation and improve agricultural yields. The collaboration between Agrigeos and Lualtek is also supported by the Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (IMEM) of CNR in Parma, providing consultancy and research.   The Kick-off meeting of SPIDAP was held in Acireale, at the operational headquarters of Agrigeos, highlighting the importance of involving technical figures from both companies in the project.   At the heart of the SPIDAP project lies the implementation of a decision support system that allows farmers to accurately monitor the water needs of citrus plants. This system is based on advanced sensor technologies developed by Lualtek and utilizes data obtained through the Plantarray platform for plant phenotyping and the Bioristor sensor for real-time monitoring of water requirements.   Plantarray, developed by the Israeli startup Plant Di-tech and adopted by Agrigeos, enables the collection of plant physiological data in response to changing environmental conditions, while the Bioristor sensor, developed by IMEM-CNR in Parma, continuously monitors plant water requirements.   According to Salvatore Nicolosi, administrator of Agrigeos, this collaboration between Sicilian SMEs is of great value and could have significant implications for society as a whole. Marco Acciai, scientific manager of the project, emphasizes that SPIDAP aims to improve the efficiency of irrigation water use, ensuring abundant and high-quality agricultural production. Luca Occhipinti, founder of Lualtek and project coordinator, highlights the importance of predictive models in agriculture and the crucial role that the SPIDAP project will play in innovating the agricultural sector. Michela Janni, researcher at CNR-IMEM, underlines the fundamental contribution of the Bioristor sensor in refining the decision support system of SPIDAP, improving the efficiency of water resource use, and promoting sustainability.   Agrigeos and Lualtek, respectively a specialized testing center and an innovative startup, embody the commitment and determination of Sicilian companies to promote innovation in the agricultural sector. The SPIDAP project represents a significant step towards smarter and more sustainable management of agricultural resources, offering concrete solutions to the environmental and economic challenges faced by Sicilian citrus farming.  

Open the call for abstracts for the session "NODES: Nature-Based Solutions for Increasing Resilience to Water-Related Hazards" as part of the international conference TerraEnVision.    Natural hazards, such as slope instability, floods, and droughts, raise a global risk, especially in agroecosystems in semi-arid areas like the Mediterranean. With ongoing climate change, these events are becoming more frequent and intense, necessitating innovative and sustainable approaches to mitigate their environmental impact.    The proposed session within the NODES project - Spoke 6 aims to explore the role of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in mitigating the impacts of water-related geological hazards in agroecosystems.    Contributions from researchers and stakeholders are welcome, addressing biological, agronomic, geological, geomorphological, and hydrogeological aspects, as well as multidisciplinary applications of NbS for water-related risk reduction. This includes detection techniques and models designed to measure, monitor, and predict the effects of NbS and climate change on agroecosystems. The session aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential of NbS as a resilience vector against water-related geological hazards, with implications for farmers and public institutions in reducing the risk of such hazards.    The session is coordinated by researchers from the University of Pavia, affiliated with the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering.    The Call for Abstracts is open from March 4, 2024, to June 1, 2024.    The session will take place during the international congress "TerraEnVision - Nature-Based Solutions to facilitate the transitions for living within the planetary boundaries" (Valencia, July 8-11, 2024).    Conveners: Prof. Valerio Vivaldi, Prof. Nadia Bertolino   Link congress    Call for abstracts