Descrizione del progetto
Innovazioni intelligenti per migliorare il settore dei piccoli ruminanti
I sistemi dei piccoli ruminanti rappresentano un settore considerevole per le economie rurali dell’UE e dei paesi associati. Tuttavia, l’allevamento di precisione e le tecnologie digitali che migliorano l’allevamento di piccoli ruminanti non sono ancora ampiamente impiegati dagli agricoltori. Il progetto Sm@RT, finanziato dall’UE, promuoverà la comprensione, il trasferimento delle conoscenze e l’adozione delle tecnologie avanzate esistenti nel settore dei piccoli ruminanti, incoraggerà un approccio di soluzioni basate sulle esigenze e identificherà le lacune tecnologiche. Svilupperà una rete europea e internazionale a lungo termine e autosostenibile per promuovere l’utilizzo dell’allevamento di precisione e delle tecnologie digitali nel settore, attraverso un originale metodo interattivo, transdisciplinare e multiattore basato su aziende agricole di dimostrazione ben attrezzate («Digifarm») e aziende agricole commerciali innovative. Sm@RT si propone inoltre di motivare le aziende delle tecnologie dell’informazione nello sviluppo di soluzioni di allevamento di precisione e di tecnologie digitali per il settore, così da aumentare l’efficienza e la sostenibilità dell’allevamento di piccoli ruminanti in Europa e non solo.
Obiettivo
Rural economies across Europe, and associated countries, heavily rely on small ruminant (SR) systems, particularly in areas unsuitable for other alternative agriculture purposes. Despite recent advances in precision livestock farming (PLF) and digital technologies (DT) to improve farm practices, the SR sector shows a slow rate of practitioners’ uptake. There is a need to improve awareness and knowledge transfer on the potential of technology applications and return on investment. Sm@RT aims to improve understanding, awareness and uptake of the different technologies currently available to the SR sector, and further to facilitate ‘solutions to needs’ and identification of technology gaps.
The project will develop a long-term, self-sustainable European/International network to encourage the use of PLF and DT across the SR sector. The network will stimulate knowledge exchange and cross-fertilisation amongst a wide range of stakeholders, including drawing upon the valuable input and knowledge of farmers to farmers, to help increase uptake across the industry.
Sm@RT will focus on the use of PLF and DT across all types of sheep and goat management systems and environments. Sm@RT will use an original interactive transdisciplinary and multi-actor approach, relying on well-equipped demonstration farms (‘digifarms’) and innovative commercial farms to foster exchanges with the SR industry. This iterative step-by-step approach implicates relevant actors at the right level in the knowledge exchange process, thus boosting dissemination in a trusting environment and creating a dynamic to motivate IT companies to propose suitable PLF and DT solutions for the SR sector. Sharing of experiences across both local and transnational levels will create wider opportunities to collect and exchange knowledge, thus enabling Sm@RT to communicate and disseminate information and guidelines widely, increasing efficiency and sustainability of SR farming in Europe and beyond.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.2.1.1. - Increasing production efficiency and coping with climate change, while ensuring sustainability and resilience
- H2020-EU.3.2.1.3. - Empowerment of rural areas, support to policies and rural innovation
- H2020-EU.3.2.2.3. - A sustainable and competitive agri-food industry
- H2020-EU.3.2.4.1. - Fostering the bio-economy for bio-based industries
- H2020-EU.3.2.1.4. - Sustainable forestry
- H2020-EU.3.2.1.2. - Providing ecosystems services and public goods
Meccanismo di finanziamento
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinatore
EH9 3JG Edinburgh
Regno Unito