Innovative Sustainable Agriculture in Mediterranea

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Agricultural productions are subject to stiff quality requirements by markets and consumers (LMR - GlobalGAP). Furthermore, the conspicuous use of chemical pesticides clashes with the EU’s guidelines on sustainable development and the obligation to promote green growth an integrated crop protection (Directive 2009/128/EC, Ecophyto Plan II National Action Plan). Therefore, cross-border agriculture faces crucial challenges, with particularly high risks coming from parasites due to warmer weather conditions and very intense trade in whole plants. SMEs must face at least a new phytosanitary emergency every year that affects the notable productions of the area: ornamental, agricultural and olive growing. On the socio-economic level, the application of alternative strategies to the use of chemical pesticides requires a radical change of production methods with optimal management of natural auxiliaries. SMEs will not be able to use these new integrated protection strategies if they do not have dedicated means to manage biologically rich and complex agrosystems. The IS@M project aims to develop, validate and optimise a collaborative platform that will bring together new innovative tools for the daily support of SMEs in making the best eco-responsible decisions. Through a concept of participatory collaboration (research institutes, experimental stations, consultants and companies), IS@M proposes to assess the health status and epidemiological risks of plots, in real-time, in the field, on a tablet or smartphone. It also offers a complete, reliable and traceable assistance service readily usable by every SME, and promotes a Mediterranean network of farms exchanging knowledge, experiences and epidemiological alerts through a forum.

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