Primary Agroindustry

Promoting the development of digital technologies aimed at improving the sustainability of agricultural production for industrial transformation

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Agroindustria primaria

Promuove lo sviluppo di tecnologie digitali volte a migliorare la sostenibilità delle produzioni agricole per la trasformazione industriale.

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Spoke 6 Primary Agroindustry

Spoke 6 actively fosters the sustainable development of agricultural territories by leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as sensing devices, advanced mapping systems, data collection, and processing methods.

 

The Spoke is coordinated by the University of Pavia and involves collaboration with public research institutions and local entities. Together, they work towards the sustainable development of agricultural territories through the implementation of digital innovation systems.

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News

News
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Final Event for APNR: Agronomic Innovation and Market Strategies for Pinot Noir
On 30 May, the final event of the APNR – Academy del Pinot Nero Research project was held at the Prime Alture agricultural company (lead partner), in collaboration with Geosmartcampus Srl. APNR is an industrial Proof of Concept funded under the Cascade Calls – Line A of the NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile programme, aimed at developing innovative technologies and strategies to enhance the Pinot Noir supply chain in the Oltrepò Pavese region of northern Italy.   The project focused on two complementary areas: experimental fieldwork in the vineyard, with the installation of pilot systems, and market research to analyse consumer preferences and refine product positioning strategies. Among the innovations tested in the vineyard, special attention was given to the use of inter-row mulching, an agronomic technique involving the autumn-winter sowing of temporary cover crops. These are later shredded and channelled beneath the vines using a dual-row mulching machine, creating a uniform organic layer. This practice significantly suppressed weed regrowth throughout the season without the need for further intervention, while repurposing plant residues from within the vineyard ecosystem itself—an example of circular sustainability.   A second pilot involved the use of shade nets, designed to reduce incident solar radiation by 20% to 70%. The results were highly promising: the nets helped prevent sunburn on grape clusters and improved overall agronomic performance. Analytical data recorded slightly higher yields (127 kg per row with nets vs. 124 kg without; 2.12 kg per vine with nets vs. 1.87 kg without), better fruit distribution, and healthier vines with minimal fungal disease. Labour was also optimised, as no de-shooting was required and harvesting was easier thanks to the clear and compact cluster arrangement.   On the industrial research side, the APNR team conducted a two-phase market study. The qualitative phase explored emotional responses, perceptions, and narratives surrounding Pinot Noir, gathering insights from sommeliers, chefs, and wine enthusiasts to guide marketing strategies and uncover new consumption occasions. The subsequent quantitative phase validated these insights across a representative sample of wine consumers, identifying high-potential target groups and effective communication strategies to attract and retain new audiences.   APNR has served as a practical example of how combining field-based innovation with market intelligence can produce tangible benefits for wine producers, enabling a shift toward more sustainable, competitive, and consumer-conscious viticulture.

News
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Final Event of the SPIDAP Project: Artificial Intelligence and Sensor Technology for Precision Citrus Farming in Sicily
On May 22, the final event of the SPIDAP project – Development of a Digital Platform Based on Artificial Intelligence for Precision Agriculture – was held at the GAL Terre di Aci headquarters in Acireale (CT). The project was funded through the cascade calls.  SPIDAP is the result of a collaborative effort between Sicilian SMEs Agrigeos and Lualtek, and the CNR-IMEM Institute in Parma. It integrates artificial intelligence, advanced sensor technology, and agronomic analysis to optimize water usage and improve the sustainability of citrus production—an innovative step forward for smart agriculture tailored to local needs. The event was moderated by Mariarita Zappalà (Agrigeos), and opened with institutional remarks by Anna Privitera (Director, GAL Terre di Aci), who emphasized the GAL’s role in promoting agricultural innovation in a region with a strong citrus-growing tradition. Chiara Ferroni, Director of the NODES ecosystem, highlighted the achievements of the program, which has supported over 300 companies, including many in Southern Italy. Salvo Nicolosi (General Manager, Agrigeos) underlined the importance of partnerships between SMEs and research centers in developing knowledge and technologies to advance the agricultural sector. The technical session featured presentations by Marco Acciai (Agrigeos), who showcased field and controlled-environment results using the Plantarray phenotyping system and the Bioristor sensor developed by CNR-IMEM. Michela Janni (CNR-IMEM) explained how the Bioristor enables real-time monitoring of plant physiology, essentially allowing researchers to “listen” to the plants. Luca Occhipinti (CEO, Lualtek) closed the session by demonstrating how Bioristor data and electrical conductivity readings can be integrated into predictive models to optimize irrigation. The event concluded with a shared commitment to continue data collection and refine the predictive model, confirming the value of a collaboration that has already yielded promising results for the digital transformation of the citrus sector.

News
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DigiFarm: successful conclusion of the project for a more efficient and sustainable livestock sector
The DigiFarm project has successfully concluded. This industrial Proof of Concept (POC), funded through the cascade call Line A, was developed to provide innovative tools to dairy sector enterprises, with the goal of improving nutritional and economic efficiency in milk production. At the heart of the project lies a well-known challenge for farmers: feed costs can account for up to 60% of the total cost of milk production. DigiFarm tackled this issue by developing a simple, effective, and easily applicable assessment model, based on a system of aggregated indicators capable of delivering a clear picture of farm performance—even with minimal field data. The strength of the model lies in its accessibility: it does not require full corporate accounting and can be adopted even by small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up the majority of Italy’s livestock production sector. By integrating technical and economic data, DigiFarm overcomes the limitations of partial indicators, which are often affected by external variables such as market fluctuations in feed or milk prices. The model enables precise identification of areas for improvement, enhancing production efficiency and economic sustainability for the farms involved. The results gathered during implementation confirm the model’s effectiveness: good feed conversion efficiency, satisfactory milk quality, and cost coverage even in less favorable market conditions. Beyond operational benefits, DigiFarm has also had a positive impact in terms of training and professional development, strengthening participants’ skills in livestock data analysis, efficiency modeling, and knowledge transfer to the production sector. DigiFarm stands as a concrete example of how digital innovation can support the agro-food sector’s transition toward more resilient, sustainable, and quality-driven production models—fully aligned with the priorities of the new European agriculture.

News
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The VINO Flagship Project in the Spotlight at EGU 2025: Research and Innovation for Sustainable Viticulture
The session “Soil management practices and land degradation in vineyards”, held on 28–29 April during the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2025 (EGU) in Vienna, featured active participation from researchers at the University of Pavia. Claudia Meisina chaired the session, guiding an international scientific dialogue on soil degradation and sustainable practices in viticulture.   The contributions presented stemmed from research activities carried out within the VINO flagship project, part of NODES – SPOKE 6 – Primary Agroindustry, and covered a broad range of topics. Massimiliano Bordoni, Valerio Vivaldi, and Claudia Meisina presented work on shallow landslide prediction models, hydrogeological characterisation, and vulnerability analysis on vineyard slopes. Fabio Dell’Acqua introduced an automated mapping approach for inter-row vineyard management using satellite imagery and Bézier curve analysis. Diego Ravazzolo discussed a surface runoff model applied to assess erosion in agricultural landscapes.   Among the on-site posters, Antonio Gambarani, Matteo Giganti, along with Bordoni, Vivaldi, and Meisina, showcased studies on the application of nature-based solutions, the quantification of soil degradation, and future land suitability for perennial crops. The event highlighted the quality and relevance of the outcomes generated by the VINO project, fostering an interdisciplinary exchange between geosciences, digital technologies, and sustainable farming practices. 🔗 Learn more about the session: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU25/session/52887

Boost your competence

6. Primary agroindustry
NODES Academy: Primary Agroindustry - 2nd Edition
Course holder
ComoNExT – Elena Zaffaroni, Sara Lucca, Marina Fabre Morales, Elisa Alemagna
Acceleration
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6. Primary agroindustry
NODES Academy: Primary Agroindustry - 1st Edition
Course holder
ComoNExT – Elena Zaffaroni, Sara Lucca, Marina Fabre Morales, Elisa Alemagna
Entrepreneurship
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6. Primary agroindustry
Agritech Training: Precision Viticulture
Course holder
Prof. Hermes Giberti, University of Pavia
Upskilling
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Eventi

Meeting
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ROADSHOW PRIMAVERA: Spoke 6 technologies fair
On April 4, 2025, the University of Pavia will host the NODES Spoke 6 RoadShow event Sustainability and Digitalization in Primary Agroindustry.   The initiative represents an important opportunity to see first hand the technologies developed and the results obtained so far by the initiatives funded by the Spoke, such as cascade calls for SMEs, academic PoCs, industrial PhDs and flagship projects.   The Spoke technologies fair will open at 11:00 following a short introductory plenary session to the event moderated by the Spoke Project Manager, Prof. Hermes Giberti.   In parallel, a space dedicated to 1-to-1 meetings will allow companies, investors and startups to explore new collaboration opportunities, while the networking lunch will offer an opportunity for informal discussion between participants. An Agorà area will instead be dedicated to short interviews with exhibitors. The various contributions will then be available online at the end of the event.   Agenda 10.00 Registration  10.30 Plenary session with introductory speeches 11.00 Opening of the technoligies fair and Agorà area 11.30 - 14:30 1-to-1 meetings 13.00 - 14.00 Networking lunch 14.30 Closure   Participation is open to companies, investors, startups and stakeholders interested in learning about the opportunities offered by digital and sustainable technologies for the future of agriculture.   Click here to register!  

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Spoke 6 Assembly: Online Meeting on January 27, 2025
Spoke 6 - Primary Agroindustry - holds an online meeting January 27, 2025 to share the state of the Spoke's work and some "Success Stories" featuring researchers and SMEs funded by the Spoke. The assembly will be largely dedicated to some of the success stories of Spoke 6 involving SMEs from the NODES area.   The agenda of the event, which will take place from 11:00 to 13:00, includes: 11:00 Progress of the Spoke work (Hermes Giberti PM Spoke 6) 11:20-12:50 Success Stories - informal chats (maximum 10 minutes each) 11:20 Plant extracts (Az. Agr. Calatroni) 11:30 New supply chains in Oltrepò Pavese (Eco srl) 11:40 Divine & Eva (ProLogic informatica and AlpiRobot) 11:50 The efficient farm (Veronesi-AIA) 12:00 An industrial doctorate (Confagricoltura) 12:10 Students Challenges (Az. Agr. Api dei Monti) 12:20 Upskilling in zootechnics (CAI Nutrizione) 12:30 The Academy of Spoke 6 (ComoNext) 12:40 A new startup (RDkore) 12:50 Next steps, greetings and thanks

Meeting
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Students Challenges NODES Spoke 6 – An opportunity for local SMEs
Spoke 6 invites local SMEs in the primary agro-industry to propose marketing challenges to the students of the Advanced Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia. The goal is to develop innovative digital marketing plans to enhance the quality and authenticity of local products, improving consumer awareness and engagement both at an Italian and international level. The Students Challenges offer students the opportunity to interact with the corporate world, public bodies, associations and third sector bodies of the NODES project territories through the “learning by doing” method and provide an opportunity for companies to meet young talents and discover innovative solutions applicable within their realities.   Agenda  17:00 Welcome and introduction to the call Students Challenges 2025   Prof Hermes Giberti, PM NODES SPOKE 6 Dr Elisa Conz, course leader “Advanced Digital Marketing”   17:15 Awards ceremony Students Challenges 2024   Challenge proposed by Calatroni Vini Challenge proposed by Api dei Monti Challenge proposed by Rossetti e Scrivani   18:15 networking drinks   Date and address:   Thursday 16 January 2025, 17:00 - Aula Disegno - Università degli Studi di Pavia (Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci, 5)   A unique opportunity to discover how local SMEs can benefit from Spoke 6’s Students Challenges!   Register here!          

Workshop
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ROADSHOW MEZZOGIORNO: Sustainability and Digitalisation in the Agro-Industry
The highly anticipated event "Sustainability and Digitalisation in the Agro-Industry" will take place on 24th October at the Gran Torre Hotel in Oristano, as part of the Roadshow Mezzogiorno initiative. During the day, Alberto S. Atzori from the Department of Agriculture at the University of Sassari will present the flagship project "Formidablae" for digital innovation in the agro-zoothec industry, while Giorgio Todde will discuss the importance of digitalisation for the advancement of the primary sector. Following this, Ing. Lucia Marazzi, Deputy Project Manager of NODES and Head of the Technology Transfer Office at the University of Pavia, will present the cascading calls of the Mezzogiorno Line. The central moment of the event will be a B2B roundtable, moderated by Nadia Bertolino, Communication and Dissemination Manager of Spoke 6, during which innovative projects funded by the cascading calls from Spokes 6 and 7 will be discussed. Companies such as Drop s.r.l. with the DAIRY LIFE PRO project, C.A.O. Formaggi with DIGICAO, Agrigeos s.r.l. with SPIDAP, Primo Principio s.c.a.r.l. with GAINS, Agricolus s.r.l. with CEBUS, and Studio-A Automazione s.r.l. with the MICENE project will present their advancements, highlighting how new technologies and sustainable practices are revolutionising the agro-industrial sector in the Mezzogiorno. This meeting will represent an important opportunity to explore the progress of projects and foster collaboration between businesses, universities, and stakeholders, opening up new opportunities for synergies in the field of agro-industrial innovation and sustainability.