Sofia's strawberries do not waste water

Among the projects realised with the financial support of the 2014-2022 Rural Development Plan (RDP) is a 6,000 square metre hi-tech greenhouse for growing strawberries with highly sustainable practices. The idea, financed with almost EUR 294,000, is by Sofia Michieli from Rovigo, who, thanks to a set of instruments and equipment, manages to create the ideal microclimate by managing temperature, humidity and shading. The strawberries are grown in above-ground canals, protected from excessive soil moisture and therefore disease, and the sprinkler irrigation system eliminates water wastage. Also dedicated to efficient irrigation is Irrivision, the testing of a system that, thanks to a network of sensors and a computer vision system, allows irrigation to be adjusted according to the real water needs of the plants, and in particular the vines. In this way, water wastage is avoided, costs and environmental impact are cut, and crop health and harvest quality are safeguarded.

Financed with over EUR 344,000 and lasting three years, the project involved a network of players, including Cet Electronics, a Treviso-based company specialising in electronic control systems, sensors and remote control software, the Consorzio di Bonifica Piave and the Terre Grosse winery. Innovation, understood as the transition towards greater sustainability through specific knowledge and skills, as well as dedicated technologies, is among the priorities of the 2023-2027 Veneto Regional Complement for Rural Development (Csr), as it was for the Psr, which dedicated 7.4% of its financial endowment to knowledge transfer and innovation. On the other hand, more and more insiders believe that the massive use of technology is now unavoidable in agriculture, given the challenges imposed by climate change but also by market volatility. And, indeed, words such as sensor technology, artificial vision, digitisation and IoT are recurring more and more often among primary sector companies, reflecting the great change taking place and the attempt to equip themselves with tools to achieve precise objectives. Above all, increasing the efficiency, productivity and added value of their products.