Precision Farming and BIP
Our company recently became a member of BIP, Best Ideas & Projects, based in Rome, an association of scientists and researchers, professionals and companies that share the same vision: ‘TO KNOW IN ORDER TO INNOVATE’. The members of BIP work together in the field of Process and Industrial plant engineering, Modelling, simulation and ICT, Micro and nanotechnology, Automation, robotics and mechatronics, Green logistics, Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, Data & Advanced Analytics, with the aim to promote, through a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, the principle of sustainable development in its three fundamental components: environmental, economic and social.
In occasion of its recent annual meeting, BIP hosted several contributions in the field of research. Prof. Ilaria Pertot of the University of Trento and the Edmund Mach Foundation gave an interesting insight in the opportunities Precision Farming can offer to modern eco-sustainable agriculture. She also noted the enormous room there is for Internet of Things, or Internet of Farming, adopted currently by only 14% of the Italian farmers. This percentage, however, is improving.
According to Prof. Ilaria Pertot, investments are needed in the fields of
- Bioplastics for the production and packing of agri-food products
- Tools, sensors, products for simplifying management and qualitative and quantitative yield improvements
- Alternative bioproducts to synthetic chemistry (pesticides, fertilisers, phytohormones)
- Physical and mechanical alternatives to synthetic chemistry
- Automation of crop operations (particularly harvesting) and labour reduction
According to the Smart Agrifood Observatory of the Politecnico University of Milan, Italian Agriculture- 4.0 grew with 270% in 2018 reaching a value of +400 million euro and weighing 5% of the global market and 18% of the European market.
The Observatory’s research has seen the mapping of 110 companies including established brands (74% of cases) and startups (26%) with the analysis of more than 300 technological solutions dedicated to the world of Smart Agrifood.
The research reflects the heterogeneity and richness of the sector populated by companies with very different skills and positioning. In 49% of cases, companies work in the supply of advanced solutions based on the Internet of Things and on advanced robotics solutions rather than the use of drones. A high profile of companies in 22% of cases focus on Agridata and offer data analysis solutions. In 16% of cases, the analysis looked at companies specialising in field equipment. Components and electronic tools, on the other hand, are the focus of another 7% of companies and 3% concerns more generic tools production companies use for agriculture.
Proaxxes member of BIP
