NEUROPUBLIC Leads Effort in Farmtopia Project to Boost Sustainability and Profitability in Organic Avocado Farming
In a bid to revolutionise organic avocado farming practices and bolster sustainability and profitability in the sector, NEUROPUBLIC SA is taking the lead in Sustainable Innovation Pilot 1 in the Farmtopia project. This project, funded by the European Union Horizon Europe program and running from 2023 to 2026, aims to democratise access to digital technologies, particularly for small- and medium-sized farmers across Europe.
Addressing Challenges in Organic Avocado Farming
State of Avocado Farming in the EU and Wider
According to the OECD/FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030, avocados are on track to become the second-most traded major tropical fruit by 2030, following bananas. They are expected to surpass both pineapples and mangoes in export volume. In Europe, avocados have already secured their place as the second-most valuable imported fruit from developing countries, with imports totaling €1.8 billion in 2022. This remarkable growth is driven by rising demand and substantial investments in global production.
Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture
With the technological infrastructure ready and the challenges mapped, NEUROPUBLIC SA, along with GAIA EPICHEIREIN, is spearheading the Sustainable Innovation Pilot 1 (SIP 1). This pilot aims to leverage digital technologies to enhance the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of organic avocado farming. By integrating Farmtopia’s software modules with the gaiasense Smart Farming solution, farmers will gain access to low-cost, high-quality advice on irrigation and fertilisation, empowering them to optimise resource usage and maximise yields.
Strategic Approach to Sustainable Farming
SIP1’s strategy involves the establishment of a regional-wide infrastructure of IoT weather stations across seven different parcels. The strategy encompasses the integration of diverse data types for spatial and temporal analysis, enabling farmers to gain precise insights and make informed decisions. Additionally, SIP 1 will facilitate the regulated exchange of sensor recordings, farm advice, and regional data among farmer cooperatives, well-connected local agronomists, and food companies.
Farmtopia’s Open Call for Innovation
As part of the Farmtopia project, an open call for innovation has been announced for 2024. This call aims to encourage collaboration and the development of intelligent solutions tailored for small farms. Apart from the 9 pre-selected SIPs in Farmtopia, 9 more SIPs will be established, each receiving funding of €100,000 to support the development and testing of innovative solutions. Through this open call, Farmtopia seeks to harness the collective expertise of stakeholders across the agricultural value chain to drive meaningful change in the sector.
About NEUROPUBLIC SA
NEUROPUBLIC SA (NP) is a forward-thinking ICT SME with over 90 employees, known for creating in-demand applications, especially in digital agriculture. With a network of over 300 IoT agroenvironmental stations, NP covers more than 60,000 hectares across Greece, meticulously collecting atmospheric and soil data from the fields. These valuable datasets, along with field logs, remote sensing information, and soil analyses, support a variety of digital services in Smart Farming, CAP, agri-insurance, and traceability, benefiting over 800,000 end-users. NP is also actively involved in 17 international and national R&I projects in agriculture, including Ploutos, QuantiFarm, and the SoilWise Project.
In the project, NP takes the lead as the coordinator, driving efforts across all work packages (WPs). Additionally, NP leads WP1 in designing the Farmtopia Digital Solutions.
Cultivating Community Through Collaboration
Farmtopia’s inclusive approach brings together stakeholders from various sectors, including farmers, agricultural digital solution providers, advisors, scientists, policymakers, and other key contributors. Together, they will actively contribute to the project’s mission of promoting sustainability and profitability in European agriculture. Through collaboration and knowledge-sharing, Farmtopia aims to create a more resilient and prosperous farming landscape.
The Farmtopia project is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program. For more information, visit the project’s Newsroom, as well as Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Youtube.