The project focuses on information and research for more sustainable solutions for agriculture, in areas such as pesticides and water and soil protection.
Smart Farm Hub is the name of the digital project launched by the National Plant Protection Industry Association (ANIPLA) that helps prepare the agricultural sector for climate change by increasing crop yields in a safe and sustainable manner.
Through this digital tool, farmers, consumers, trainers, industrialists, and traders can freely access information on practices that make agriculture more sustainable, such as how to handle pesticides in a sustainable way, how to protect water quality by treating effluents from agricultural activity, or how producers can integrate ecology into their practice, promoting biodiversity and the environment.
The cooperation between several entities related to plant protection is the basis of this initiative developed in collaboration with Croplife (ANIPLA’s European counterpart). In addition to climate challenges, such as droughts and floods, the goal is also to meet the requirements of the European Ecological Pact by creating a space for dialogue, sharing, and reflection on what modern agriculture is and how it is practiced.
Thus, the Smart Farm Hub wants to generate synergies that promote joint work plans, namely in the study of the effect of climate change, research and development of biopesticides, biotechnology, soil conservation, and digital and precision agriculture.
To this end, 4 cooperation protocols were signed with CIB – Biotechnology Research Center, InnovPlantProtect, Aposolo – Portuguese Association for Soil Conservation Mobilization and the Smart Farm Colab laboratory.
“It is urgent to put innovation, technology and science at the service of agriculture, which will allow our professionals to perform work that is sustainable, in tune with the environment, and that meets the food needs of the entire population.” declares João Cardoso, Executive Director of ANIPLA, during the presentation.
According to the leader, biodiversity can be stimulated through the practice of cover crops and the creation of insect shelters, aquatic shelters (for the protection of amphibians), and bird nests, with the aim of attracting animals that have a beneficial effect in combating plant pests and diseases.
She could have studied Meteorology and Oceanography but ended up going for Communication. And that's fine because if they don't get their weather predictions right, she wouldn't be the one to change that. She started by looking for sustainable ideas and projects for her university, and since then, she has never stopped (who stops, really?). She loves to watch tv shows, but she watches few because she is demanding. You don't need much to convince her to embrace new, "greener" habits and challenges.
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