Smart Future Organic Farm
Reducing the environmental impact in agriculture to obtain healthy food and protect the environment. This is the goal of Smart Future Organic Farm. An innovative (monitorable, measurable and certifiable) method of organic production that strives for zero-CO2 farming.
It is a project that actively brings together organic farmers, technology and experimentation through new production methods that aim to protect soil fertility, water and air quality, and biodiversity.
It is a project that looks to the future from a sustainable perspective but without forgetting the importance of the past and the lessons that can be drawn from it for the present.
It is an ambitious project whose strength lies in its ability to integrate innovation, research and tradition.
Two areas of Puglia are involved: Capitanata and Alta Murgia. This is where the companies hosting the experimental devices are located and will be considered as a reference to contextualise the simulations and develop the applications. The protagonist of the project is cereal cultivation. As one of the oldest and most deeply-rooted crops in Puglia, it has always played a central role in the local economy. For example, over 340 thousand hectares of durum wheat are cultivated in the region.
The project will start from the analysis of the results of the research conducted by CREA, carried out through field experimentation and with the help of modelling platforms, to find information and innovative solutions to best support company choices. Also supporting the companies is an app (CWFP - Carbon and Water FootPrint) capable of calculating the carbon and water footprint of durum wheat grain: it will test the direct and indirect consumption of C02 and water, further qualifying organic companies from a commercial standpoint as well. The organic farmer will be at the centre of this project, supported by a web platform (Smart Organic Farm) that will help in the search for innovative solutions.
Smart Future Organic Farm aims to be a sustainable, innovative and organic project. Sustainable: because the agro-ecological challenge and energy transition must go hand in hand. Innovative: because the great allies of new technologies, experimentation and research are at the heart of this challenge. Organic: necessary and fundamental element for the life and rebirth of agriculture. If the goal is zero-emission agriculture, these three elements cannot be ignored.
Smart Future Organic Farm will be a tool available to those in the organic sector who want to respond positively to the demands that our Planet has been making for much too long now. An approach that will provide benefits to farmers, consumers and the environment.
The project is financed through PSR Puglia 2014-2022- Measure 16 – Cooperation - SUB-MEASURE 16.2 – “Support for pilot projects development of products practices processes technologies” (https://psr.regione.puglia.it/sottomisura-16.2). Total project cost: Euro 399,278,49| Contribution: 100%
More information on the project is available at https://feder.bio/progetti/smart-future-organic-farm.
Measure 16 - Cooperation Sub-measure 16.2 “Support for pilot projects and development of new products, practices, processes and technologies”
