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All the news about NODES and its innovation ecosystem: projects, partners, announcements, and events.

Spoke
6. Primary agroindustry
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6. Primary agroindustry
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
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6. Primary agroindustry
International Collaboration and Applied Agroecology: A Learning Experience for the Degree Programme in Agri-Food Sustainability
From 22 to 24 April 2025, students from the Master’s Degree Programme in Agri-Food Sustainability at the University of Pavia took part in an intensive learning experience as part of the course “Sustainable Grass Crops, Integrated Production, Organic Farming” (9 ECTS), offered within the activities of Spoke 6.   Coordinated by Professor Valentina Vaglia (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences), the course featured visiting professor Anna Peterson from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), providing students with a valuable opportunity to engage with international academic and practical perspectives on agroecology and the sustainability of agricultural landscapes.   The programme included field visits to the “I Doria” farm in Montalto Pavese (PV) and group work focused on real-world challenges such as agrivoltaics, soil and forest management, and crop diversification. Thanks to collaboration with European researchers and practitioners, students tackled complex issues through an interdisciplinary and project-based approach. Drawing inspiration from historical references such as Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government, participants were asked to envision sustainable transformation scenarios for the farm by 2050, rooted in the local context and grounded in the principles of environmental justice and resilience.
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6. Primary agroindustry
Three Pavia-Based Companies Take Centre Stage in the Student Challenge Launched by Spoke 6 and the University of Pavia
Three agricultural businesses from the province of Pavia have been selected to take an active role in the project within Spoke 6, which is focused on sustainability and the digitalisation of agricultural and livestock production intended for industrial processing. The participating companies are:   Il Sabbione, run by Alice Zanaboni, based in Robecco Pavese (PV) Azienda Agricola Frigerio Anna Maria, located in Voghera (PV) Azienda Agricola Luca Bonizzoni, based in Casteggio (PV)   The challenges proposed by these companies were presented to students on 14 March during the Advanced Digital Marketing course, part of the Master’s Degree Programme in Digital Communication. This marked the beginning of an innovative educational journey based on the “learning by doing” method. The students, organised into multidisciplinary teams and guided by Professor Elisa Conz, will develop ideas, projects, and innovative solutions in response to the companies' real-world needs.   The initiative has a dual aim: To provide students with the opportunity to work on real business cases, gaining practical and project-based skills in a dynamic and authentic environment. To enable companies to connect with young talent and discover innovative, applicable solutions for their production and communication strategies.   Students will have until June to develop digital marketing plans designed to enhance brand awareness and engagement for the selected businesses. Particular attention will be given to competitiveness on both national and international levels: the marketing strategies must highlight the authenticity and quality of local products, helping to position these brands in a distinctive way within Italian and global markets.
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6. Primary agroindustry
26 Exhibitors at the Spoke 6 Spring Roadshow to Discuss Sustainability and Digitalisation in the Primary Agri-Food Sector
On 4 April, the Spring Roadshow of Spoke 6 took place, promoted by the University of Pavia in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Cremona-Mantua-Pavia, dedicated to sustainability and digitalisation in the primary agri-food sector. Over 100 participants and 26 exhibiting companies had the opportunity to showcase and learn about the progress made in the sector, with a wide display of technologies and developed prototypes (proofs of concept), and to take part in open discussions on the latest research developments, industrial PhD results, and in-depth one-to-one meetings.   The event was opened by Rector Francesco Svelto: "Our University is committed to the local ecosystem and the agri-food sector, despite never having had a Faculty of Agriculture or a dedicated departmental area. We are part of a broader ecosystem that includes the University of Turin, the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Forestry Services, the University of Sassari, and the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change, recognising the agricultural value of the region. We have invested around €4.5 million, including support for businesses in the Oltrepò area. It is the right path to follow."   Also in attendance was Gian Marco Centinaio, Deputy President of the Senate: "The province of Pavia has a strong agricultural vocation: Lomellina with rice, Oltrepò with vineyards, innovations in olive oil and olive trees, and livestock farming for Grana Padano. The University of Pavia, already a leader in healthcare, has accepted the challenge of agriculture. This project is important for the region and for Italy as a whole. In Lomellina, we have the first experimental field for TEAs – techniques that will improve plant genetics in line with European Union goals."   Hermes Giberti, professor at the University of Pavia and project manager of NODES - Spoke 6, highlighted: "Primary agri-food industry is complex. With the VINO and FORMIDABILÆ projects, we aim for innovations to tackle climate change in viticulture and to promote smart, resilient dairy farms. With the NODES Spoke 6 fair, we are presenting 18 research and development projects, 3 innovation services, 2 industrial PhDs, 2 prototypes, and a new start-up. We have allocated nearly €4 million for business tenders and almost €1 million to academic proofs of concept for the creation of new enterprises."   Enrico Ciabatti, Deputy Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Cremona-Mantua-Pavia, added: "We have supported the initiative with over €6.5 million through Pavia Sviluppo. €1.65 million was allocated to the Innovation Call, and over €1 million to interest rate subsidy contributions. We are also pursuing two PID initiatives: the Digital Enterprise Point, for business digitalisation, and the Pavia Innovation District, to support SMEs in development and networking."
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6. Primary agroindustry
Clone of Renewable Energy Communities in Agricultural Areas: Interview with NODES PhD Candidate Oriana Benfatto
Oriana Benfatto, a third-year PhD candidate within the NODES program in the PhD course in Electronic, Computer, and Electrical Engineering (Cycle 38), talks to us about her research project, "Sustainable services for agricultural areas: renewable energy communities and micro-grids." The project, supervised by Professor Norma Anglani from the Department of Industrial and Information Engineering at the University of Pavia, is developed within the flagship project FORMIDABILAE. It focuses on integrating renewable energy and energy communities to enhance sustainability in agricultural areas. NB: Renewable energy communities represent an opportunity to make the agricultural sector more sustainable and efficient. In your opinion, what are the main obstacles to their large-scale adoption? OB: Energy communities offer a great opportunity to make agriculture more sustainable, but they also face several challenges. One of the main issues is the stability of the electrical grid: while renewables are essential, they are also variable, requiring storage systems and advanced strategies. Moreover, a lack of awareness among farmers and citizens limits participation, highlighting the need for greater outreach and education. Bureaucratic complexity also slows development, with intricate procedures and uncertainties regarding incentives. Overcoming these challenges requires clearer regulations, targeted incentives, and advanced energy storage and smart management technologies to ensure a sustainable and inclusive transition. *** NB: The FORMIDABILAE project aims to develop innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency in the agri-food sector. What is the specific contribution of your research in this context, and what promising technologies are you working on? OB: Within the FORMIDABILAE project, my research focuses on a case study involving a dairy farm, evaluating electrical loads and converters to make it as self-sufficient as possible and less dependent on the power grid. Specifically, I study the control of grid-forming and grid-following inverters to ensure system stability while optimizing energy flow between renewable sources, battery storage, and critical loads such as milking and milk cooling systems. In parallel, we analyze municipalities served by the same primary substation, assessing the potential for rooftop photovoltaic installations using geospatial analysis techniques and comparing estimated energy production with consumption data from national databases. This allows us to estimate the community's self-sufficiency level and optimize system sizing. The ultimate goal is to develop a replicable model for creating self-sufficient energy communities, promoting the adoption of advanced energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy integration in the agri-food sector. *** NB: Being part of the NODES ecosystem and a flagship project like FORMIDABILAE, has this experience provided you with new perspectives or collaborations that have enriched your research journey? What results have you achieved so far? OB: Being involved in the NODES project has allowed me to collaborate with the AUDE laboratory at the University of Pavia, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. This experience has enriched my journey, enabling me to analyze energy communities from technical, architectural, and urban planning perspectives. I have visited research centers and agri-food companies, gaining firsthand insight into renewable energy technologies and practical challenges. I developed a simulation model to assess the energy self-sufficiency of a dairy farm and its connected community, combining load analysis with photovoltaic potential evaluation.Additionally, I have deepened my study of grid-forming and grid-following inverter control to enhance local grid stability, proposing scalable solutions for the agri-food sector.
Annoucements
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6. Primary agroindustry
NODES Panel at TerraEnvision Conference: Call for Abstracts Open
In 2025, the NODES project will once again be featured at the TerraEnvision Conference, taking place at the University of Granada (Spain) from 8 to 11 July 2025. The NODES Session NH1: Innovative solutions for increasing resilience to water-related hazards and soil erosion in agricultural areas is coordinated by Valerio Vivaldi and Valentina Vaglia (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia) and Chiara Toffanin and Fabio Dell’Acqua (Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia). This session aims to highlight the crucial role of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in mitigating hydrogeological risks in agro-ecosystems. The call for papers welcomes interdisciplinary contributions in the fields of agronomy, geology, engineering, and hydrogeology, with a specific focus on remote and proximal sensing for monitoring NbS in agro-ecosystems, as well as numerical and physical simulations, such as machine learning models, to analyse the effects of NbS and climate change. The objective is to provide practical tools for farmers and policymakers, showcasing how NbS can enhance resilience to hydrogeological hazards in agricultural areas. 🔹 Deadline for abstract submission: 15 April 2025 🔹 Call for Abstracts: terraenvision.eu/call-for-abstracts-2025 For further information, please contact Dr Valentina Vaglia: valentina.vaglia@unipv.it
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6. Primary agroindustry
Renewable Energy Communities in Agricultural Areas: Interview with NODES PhD Candidate Oriana Benfatto
Oriana Benfatto, a third-year PhD candidate within the NODES program in the PhD course in Electronic, Computer, and Electrical Engineering (Cycle 38), talks to us about her research project, "Sustainable services for agricultural areas: renewable energy communities and micro-grids." The project, supervised by Professor Norma Anglani from the Department of Industrial and Information Engineering at the University of Pavia, is developed within the flagship project FORMIDABILAE. It focuses on integrating renewable energy and energy communities to enhance sustainability in agricultural areas. NB: Renewable energy communities represent an opportunity to make the agricultural sector more sustainable and efficient. In your opinion, what are the main obstacles to their large-scale adoption? OB: Energy communities offer a great opportunity to make agriculture more sustainable, but they also face several challenges. One of the main issues is the stability of the electrical grid: while renewables are essential, they are also variable, requiring storage systems and advanced strategies. Moreover, a lack of awareness among farmers and citizens limits participation, highlighting the need for greater outreach and education. Bureaucratic complexity also slows development, with intricate procedures and uncertainties regarding incentives. Overcoming these challenges requires clearer regulations, targeted incentives, and advanced energy storage and smart management technologies to ensure a sustainable and inclusive transition. *** NB: The FORMIDABILAE project aims to develop innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency in the agri-food sector. What is the specific contribution of your research in this context, and what promising technologies are you working on? OB: Within the FORMIDABILAE project, my research focuses on a case study involving a dairy farm, evaluating electrical loads and converters to make it as self-sufficient as possible and less dependent on the power grid. Specifically, I study the control of grid-forming and grid-following inverters to ensure system stability while optimizing energy flow between renewable sources, battery storage, and critical loads such as milking and milk cooling systems. In parallel, we analyze municipalities served by the same primary substation, assessing the potential for rooftop photovoltaic installations using geospatial analysis techniques and comparing estimated energy production with consumption data from national databases. This allows us to estimate the community's self-sufficiency level and optimize system sizing. The ultimate goal is to develop a replicable model for creating self-sufficient energy communities, promoting the adoption of advanced energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy integration in the agri-food sector. *** NB: Being part of the NODES ecosystem and a flagship project like FORMIDABILAE, has this experience provided you with new perspectives or collaborations that have enriched your research journey? What results have you achieved so far? OB: Being involved in the NODES project has allowed me to collaborate with the AUDE laboratory at the University of Pavia, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. This experience has enriched my journey, enabling me to analyze energy communities from technical, architectural, and urban planning perspectives. I have visited research centers and agri-food companies, gaining firsthand insight into renewable energy technologies and practical challenges. I developed a simulation model to assess the energy self-sufficiency of a dairy farm and its connected community, combining load analysis with photovoltaic potential evaluation.Additionally, I have deepened my study of grid-forming and grid-following inverter control to enhance local grid stability, proposing scalable solutions for the agri-food sector.
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6. Primary agroindustry
Interview with the 'DEMETRA' team, winner of the pitch competition in the Spoke 6 entrepreneurship pathway.
Prof. Marco Carnevale, coordinator of the research team behind the academic Proof of Concept (POC) DEMETRA and winner of the pitch competition at the first edition of the NODES Academy: Agroindustria Primaria, shares the latest project developments and upcoming steps.   NB: What is the DEMETRA project about? MC: DEMETRA develops a virtual reality (VR) training environment for agricultural operators. The proof of concept focuses on hazelnut pruning, but the system can be extended to other agricultural tasks and machinery use, allowing training without seasonal constraints or the need for a physical field. *** NB: What are the main advantages of virtual reality training? MC: The first is overcoming seasonal limitations—pruning and similar activities can be learned anytime, reducing costs and improving the availability of skilled workers. VR also ensures standardized training, with performance monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, interactive avatars facilitate learning for users with different languages and backgrounds. Digitization in agriculture can also attract younger workers, reinforcing the sector’s image as technologically advanced. *** NB: What disciplines are involved? MC: The project integrates digital modeling, human-machine interaction, and advanced simulation. Our industrial robotics team developed haptic interfaces that simulate the tactile sensation of cutting branches. Initially, we created a sensorized glove with tactile feedback, later replaced with the integration of real tools, such as the Pellenc pruning shears, to enhance realism. The DICAR Laboratory (DAda-LAB) contributed by designing virtual environments and parametric digital prototypes of plants using LIDAR scans and photogrammetry. Data from the experimental field at Università Cattolica di Milano provided accurate digital modeling. The project also integrates Italy’s first Infinadeck omnidirectional treadmill, allowing users to move freely in the virtual scenario, overcoming traditional VR limitations. *** NB: How has the collaboration with NODES and ComoNExT benefited the project? MC: The NODES grant pushed us to develop both the technology and a business model. Through the Academy and ComoNExT facilitators, we gained market analysis skills, identified competitors, and refined our competitive advantages. We realized our system is valuable not only for agricultural businesses but also for agrarian schools and vocational training centers. This experience helped us transform research into an industrially viable solution. *** NB: What are the next steps? MC: We have won 20 additional hours of incubation support, which we are using to deepen market analysis and validate the product. We are strengthening our partnership with Pellenc, integrating their commercial tool into our platform to fully replace the haptic glove and enhance realism. We are also launching collaborations with agrarian institutes and businesses to test the system in real-world conditions. The I.I.S. Galileo Ferraris Technical Agrarian Institute in Vercelli has already expressed interest in participating in validation, which will help refine educational content and adapt the system to users' needs. Additionally, we are co-designing training modules with industry experts. While the platform currently focuses on hazelnut pruning, we aim to expand it to include agronomic knowledge and enhance operators’ decision-making skills. Finally, we are seeking funding to scale the project, making it accessible to schools, agricultural businesses, and training centers. Our goal is to establish DEMETRA as a reference platform for digital agricultural training, improving workforce skills and driving sector innovation.    
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6. Primary agroindustry
Participation in A&T 2025 Fair: DISAFA-UniTO and the Future of Agriculture
The Department of Agricultural, Forestry, and Food Sciences (DISAFA) at the University of Turin participated in the 19th edition of the A&T Fair, a key event for innovation, advanced technologies, and Industry 4.0 and 5.0 skills. During the exhibition, the team presented prototypes, innovative projects, and informational materials, focusing on solutions for more efficient and sustainable agriculture developed within Spoke 6.   In this context, Prof. Paolo Gay took part in the conference "Electrification in Agricultural Machinery: New Challenges and Scenarios," held on February 12, 2025, at A&T Torino - Oval Lingotto Fiere. The event, organized by the University of Turin in collaboration with Arproma and FederUnacoma, provided an important platform for discussions on the opportunities offered by the electrification of agricultural machinery to enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and integrate advanced solutions for precision agriculture.   During the conference, experts and industry professionals analyzed the technological, economic, and infrastructural implications of this transition, highlighting growth opportunities for companies in the sector. The discussion reaffirmed the strategic role of electrification in the future of agriculture, not only in terms of sustainability but also for international competitiveness.
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6. Primary agroindustry
Second Edition of the Precision Livestock Farming Course Kicks Off
  On 24 January 2025, the second edition of the advanced training course "Innovations in Precision Livestock Farming with a Sustainability Perspective", organised by Spoke 6, commenced. The 72-hour course will run until 7 March 2025 at the Santa Monica campus of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Cremona.   The 22 participants, primarily from the agro-livestock sector, include feed industry technicians, veterinarians, and consultants for agro-livestock businesses. The programme features thematic modules addressing current challenges faced by agricultural enterprises, with the aim of providing advanced skills in physiology, nutrition and animal welfare, adaptation to climate change, and improvements in economic and environmental sustainability.   During the Spoke 6 Assembly on 27 January 2025, Alessandra Todisco, Director of CAI Nutrizione, shared positive feedback on the course:   "I had the opportunity to see my colleagues apply in their daily work what they had learned just days earlier while attending the course."   The course represents an important opportunity for discussion and professional development for sector specialists, encouraging the adoption of innovative and sustainable practices in precision livestock farming.
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6. Primary agroindustry
A Spoke 6 Assembly full of guests from SMEs
On Monday, January 27th, the University of Pavia successfully hosted the Spoke 6 Assembly online. The event was attended by 50 people, including researchers involved in the flagship projects and Academic PoCs, and staff from some of the SMEs involved.  After a presentation on the state-of-the-art of Spoke, which highlighted how the Spoke has already achieved several KPIs, guests from companies told their “Success Stories” in the framework of NODES Spoke 6.    The 9 “Success Stories” involved: 1) Francesco Biale (Calatroni Vnini) and Elisabetta Tumminelli (University of Pavia – NODES PhD candidate), who talked about the research they are carrying out on the flagship project VINO ("don't waste the waste") and the training course for professionals working in businesses titled “Vegetable Extracts and Health”, held in February 2024 2) Paolo Bazzano (Eco srl) and Graziano Rossi (University of Pavia), who talked about how they are collaborating on the OLIOP project, funded by a NODES cascade call, and about the successful course on frontier olive growing in Oltrepò Pavese, which is part of the training programme for businesses proposed by Spoke 6 3) Paolo Landolfo (ProLogic Inofrmatica) and Simone Allasia (AlpiRobot), who talked about early detection of vine diseases and machines for harvesting plums, describing the status of the projects DIVINE and EVA, respectively, funded by the NODES cascade call 4) Mattia Masseroni (Veronesi-AIA), who is managing the DIGIFARM project on behalf of Azienda Agricole le Colombaie, and spoke about digital and efficient farms 5) Alberto Lasagna (Confagricoltura) and Valentina Vaglia (University of Pavia – NODES researcher), who spoke about the industrial doctorate they are supervising together, to understand how to mitigate the effects of climate change and manage the cultivated areas of Oltrepò Pavese 6) Paolo Monti (Api dei Monti) and Elisa Conz (University of Pavia – head of the Advanced Digital Marketing course), who highlighted the benefits of the Students Challenges organized by Spoke 6 both for local micro-businesses and for the students involved 7) Alessandra Todisco (CAI Nutrizione) and Antonio Gallo (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), who spoke about the success of the NODES Spoke 6 training courses for companies operating in the livestock sector 8) Sara Lucca and Marina Fabre (ComoNext), who talked about the academies organized within Spoke 6 to introduce researchers to entrepreneurship 9) Nicola Giulietti (University of Pavia), who talked about his new startup RDKore, established following the participation in UNIVENTURE 2023 where he obtained a prize funded by NODES Spoke 6 to finalize his technology The Spoke 6 Assembly proved to be a crucial opportunity to showcase many of the activities carried out so far and those that will take place between now and the end of the project.  Participants also showed a lot of interest for the Spoke 6 NODES Roadshow that will take place in March 2025 in Pavia. Keep following us to know more!
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6. Primary agroindustry
Spoke 6 launches Students Challenges 2025
Yesterday, Spoke 6 presented its Students Challenges 2025 call and the winners of the Students Challenges 2024.   During the event Students Challenges NODES Spoke 6: an opportunity for local SMEs held on Thursday 16 January 2025, at University of Pavia, Spoke 6 presented its second Students Challenges aimed at SMEs operating in Business to Consumer (B2C) in the primary agro-industry sector (micro-small-medium enterprises in the area). The challenges will involve the students of the Advanced Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia, who will be asked to develep tailored digital marketing plans for the selected companies aiming at improving brand awareness and engagement, focusing on competitiveness at a national and international level.   The finalists and winners of the last edition were then awarded. Between March and June 2024, 117 students of the Advanced Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia, led by Dr Elisa Conz, divided into groups of 3, worked on tailor-made solutions for the challenges proposed by the three companies Api dei Monti, La Costaiola (Rossetti e Scrivani) and Calatroni Vini, selected by the 2024 call.   In the following, the 2024 winners: Marketing Challenge Api dei Monti FINALISTS •    Arianna Lapenna, Erika Adriomi, Matteo Rossi •    Noemi Pellizzaro, Maria Larovere WINNERS Francesca Bocca, Jana Di Pauli, Susanna Sforza    Marketing Challenge La Costaiola FINALISTS •    Anastasia Bastonero, Martina Catino, Arianna Gervasutti Pietrobon WINNERS Giulia Rossetti, Teresa Orefice, Susanna Sassi Giulia Membri, Michela Pisanello, Matteo Rossi   Marketing Challenge Calatroni  FINALISTS •    Alessia Paola Di Bello, Martina Lucchiari, Stefania Daffonchio •    Dylan Bettoni, Maryam Aboumar, Nicole Vinelli WINNERS Erica Dornetti, Domenica Fontana, Alessandra Onofri   The 2024 challenges were a success. Companies were happy with the presented solutions. The winning group of the challenge proposed by the Calatroni Vini company was offered an internship by the company itself, while Paolo Monti of Api dei Monti commented: “For a small company like ours, this initiative has proven to be extremely helpful. We have opened our doors to 35 students in the past months. The winning group has proposed such a complete and valuable digital marketing plan, that we will continue the collaboration in order to put it into practice”.    Congratulations to all the companies that participated in the NODES Spoke 6 Students Challenges 2024 and to the winning students!   Present your challenge to the Advanced Digital Marketing students of the University of Pavia!  Just fill out a short Challenge Proposal and send it to servizi_imprese_nodes_spoke6@unipv.it by February 18, 2025.  Further information is available on the call page.
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6. Primary agroindustry
The DEMETRA Project Presented at the EIMA 2024 International Fair
The DEMETRA academic POC, a system designed to train agricultural operators in a virtual reality environment, was presented at the EIMA 2024 international fair at the stand of Pellenc Italia. Pellenc, a partner company, provided the 3D model of the pruning shears used in the simulation.   During the event, visitors were able to test a demo of the immersive platform, discovering its potential to revolutionise training in the agro-industrial sector. The activity facilitated discussions with industry specialists, allowing the collection of valuable feedback for improving the technology and initiating new contacts with companies interested in implementing the system for their business.   Coordinated by Prof. Carnevale of the University of Pavia, the DEMETRA project aims to implement simulation and training solutions in the primary agro-industrial sector. These solutions overcome the temporal limitations typical of agriculture—such as seasons, day-night cycles, and weather conditions—freeing agricultural learning processes from seasonal dependency.
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6. Primary agroindustry
Call for abstracts: Soil management practices and land degradation in vineyards (EGU 2025)
As part of the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), which will take place in Vienna from 27 April to 2 May 2025, abstracts are now being accepted for the session titled “Soil Management Practices and Land Degradation in Vineyards.” This session, aligned with the flagship VINO project, focuses on the impact of agricultural practices on soil degradation in hillside vineyards, addressing key issues such as erosion, shallow landslides, soil compaction, and organic matter loss. Advanced technologies, including remote sensing, field and laboratory measurements, predictive modelling, and mitigation strategies, will be presented to monitor and tackle these challenges. The session aims to foster dialogue among experts on innovative and traditional approaches to sustainable soil management. Contributions are invited on the following topics:   Remote sensing techniques and field measurements to monitor the effects of agricultural practices on soil; Implementation, parameterisation, and uncertainty management in predictive models; Simulation of the effects of climate change and soil management practices; Innovative mitigation measures to support farmers and policymakers in combating soil degradation and promoting sustainability.   This initiative seeks to integrate science, technology, and agricultural practices to develop effective and sustainable strategies for hillside vineyards.   The call for abstracts is open until 15 January 2025. Further information is available at: Session SSS9.7.   Conveners: Claudia Meisina, Jantiene Baartman, Mihai Niculita, Alessia Giarola  
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6. Primary agroindustry
"Incontri con la Scienza": Prof. Graziano Rossi discusses the VINO Project on Corriere TV
During the Incontri con la Scienza event, organised by Fondazione LGH in collaboration with Corriere della Sera, Prof. Graziano Rossi presented the PNRR NODES VINO project, focusing on adapting agricultural crops to climate change. He emphasised the critical role of agricultural innovation in supporting biodiversity and fostering crop resilience amidst resource constraints, highlighting its strategic importance in tackling environmental and climatic challenges.   The Incontri con la Scienza series promotes dialogue on scientific innovation and sustainability. The Pavia event on 8 November 2024, held at Collegio Borromeo, featured discussions on technology, renewable energy, and climate change.   Rossi's talk can be viewed from 1:05 here.