Research and development

AGRARSENSE is a European research project developing advanced technologies, such as sensors and microelectronics, to optimise agriculture and forestry. The consortium includes 51 partners from 14 countries, including companies, SMEs and research institutes, working together to innovate agricultural supply chains. The objective is to create an integrated ecosystem that improves productivity, reduces environmental impact and promotes supply-chain sustainability.

Digital Grape is a project that applies digital and precision technologies to support sustainability, quality and safety in the wine sector. The project brings together an operational group made up of research bodies, industrial SMEs, technicians and agricultural cooperatives. Its objective is to develop a regional platform that makes digital services and tools accessible for managing agronomic and plant protection inputs, product quality control and production-process traceability.

E-crops is a PON project in the Agrifood area that aims to develop innovative technologies and methodologies for crop monitoring and management, enhancing the strategic use of data in sustainable digital agriculture. The project brings together an interdisciplinary public-private partnership comprising the National Research Council (CNR), universities, the ALSIA agency and companies. Its ultimate objective is to introduce new technologies into supply-chain production systems through pilot applications, developing decision-support tools that can be adapted to different crops, territories and production chains, with the aim of promoting Agriculture 4.0 in southern Italy.

RIUSIAMO is a project promoting the reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation. The project involves an operational group comprising several organisations, including the Consorzio di Bonifica della Capitanata, the University of Foggia, the University of Bari and CREA. Its ultimate objective is to create an ‘Irrigation District’ in the San Severo–Torremaggiore area (FG), where reclaimed and conventional water will be used for irrigation through a shared distribution network, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the agricultural water supply.

SMARTWATER is a European Union-funded project that promotes the adoption of smart water-management techniques in agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, addressing challenges such as climate change and drought. The project involves six international partners, including agronomic research institutions and an IT company: the University of Banja Luka (UNI-BL), the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-IAMB), the Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Sysman Progetti & Servizi Srl (SYS) and the University of Sarajevo (UNSA). The objective is to strengthen the networking, research and scientific and technological cooperation capacities of Bosnian universities, promoting twinning activities with international organisations and improving sustainable water management in agriculture.

EcoLoop is a project that aims to enable the full reuse of wastewater for irrigation by overcoming current reuse barriers. The project involves all stakeholders in the reuse process, from water-service operators such as Acquedotto Pugliese to the La Molignana distribution cooperative and companies including FINCONS, Siconet, Masvis and Rhubbit. Its ultimate objective is to provide farmers with advanced technological tools for safe and efficient irrigation, meeting and improving production targets through decision-support systems designed for both wastewater-treatment plant operators and farmers.

DEMETRA DSS is a project funded by the Puglia 2014–2020 Rural Development Programme, Measure 16.2, which addresses the ‘nitrate issue’ by supporting local farms with innovative digital tools. The project brings together an operational group comprising CNR-IRSA, Confcooperative, Sysman, Sempreverde farm, and the Lizzano and Torricella wineries. The objective is to develop a farm-scale information system for data collection and management, facilitating traceability and the monitoring of nitrate contamination sources.

SOILLESS-GO is a project funded by the Puglia 2014–2020 Rural Development Programme, Measure 16.2, that aims to improve the competitiveness of soilless cultivation in Puglia by introducing process and product innovations. The project brings together an operational group comprising AGRIS Soc. Coop., CNR-ISPA, the University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’ – DISAAT, the farms F.lli Lapietra, Boccuzzi Giannangelo, Ortogourmet Soc. Agr. Srl and Susca Vitantonio, and Sysman Progetti e Servizi. Its objective is to develop and transfer innovative technologies for the efficient use of resources in soilless cultivation, promoting environmental sustainability and the competitiveness of the regional horticultural sector.

ICARUS is a project funded by the Puglia 2014–2020 Rural Development Programme, Measure 16.2, that aims to enhance Puglia’s artichoke supply chain through sustainability-oriented process and marketing innovations. The project brings together an operational group of farms, research bodies and food-processing operators, all committed to strengthening the competitiveness of Puglia’s artichoke supply chain. Its objective is to improve cultivation techniques from a sustainability perspective, introduce innovative fresh-cut and ready-to-eat products, recover local varieties and transform processing waste into natural supplements and cosmetics while safeguarding quality and nutritional value.

AgriDataKPI is a project funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) within the National Agritech Centre. It aims to develop a digital platform for monitoring productivity and sustainability indicators across Italian agri-food supply chains. The project is led by Image Line Srl Unipersonale in collaboration with Sysman Progetti & Servizi Srl and involves research institutions including Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Politecnico di Torino, the University of Foggia, the University of Genoa and Università Politecnica delle Marche. Its objective is to support cropping-system management in applications such as irrigation, fertilisation and crop protection, combining productivity and sustainability while encouraging the adoption of digital technologies in agriculture.

IoF2020 is a European Union-funded Horizon 2020 project that ran from 2017 to 2021, with the objective of transforming European agriculture through the integration of IoT technologies. The project involved more than 70 partners from 16 countries, including farmers, technology providers, research institutes and policy makers, working together to develop digital solutions for the agri-food supply chain. Its objective was to implement 34 real-world use cases, demonstrating how IoT can optimise resources, improve transparency and increase the sustainability of farming activities, leaving an important legacy for the sector’s digitalisation.

E-crops is a project funded by the 2014–2020 National Operational Programme for Research and Innovation in the Agrifood area. It aims to develop innovative technologies and methodologies for the sustainable management of agricultural crops. The consortium involves 27 partners, including the National Research Council (CNR) with 14 institutes, two universities, the ALSIA agency and nine companies ranging from large enterprises to SMEs and agricultural cooperatives. Its objective is to introduce new technologies into production processes through pilot applications, developing decision-support tools that can be adapted to different crops, territories and production chains, thereby promoting sustainable digital agriculture in southern Italy.