Healthy crop, Healthy environment, Healthy finances ... through Optimization

Project Information

H3O

Grant agreement ID: 672231

DOI

10.3030/672231

Project closed

EC signature date 8 May 2015

Start date 1 June 2015

End date 31 May 2017

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 1 307 569,70

EU contribution

€ 915 298,79

Coordinated by

PULVERIZADORES FEDE S.L.U.
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - H3O (Healthy crop, Healthy environment, Healthy finances ... through Optimization)

Reporting period: 2016-06-01 to 2017-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Pulverizadores Fede is a technology leader in the production of agricultural machinery for vertical crops found, for example, in orchards and vineyards. As such, we are well positioned to contribute to resource-efficient eco-innovative food production, which is not only good for the environment but is also key for the agricultural sector’s competitiveness with a clear European dimension.

Cropland covers almost 25% of the EU (4.4 million of Km2) and most of that area is subject to phytosanitary treatment. With the two year H3O project, we bring a completely new generation of plant protection product application devices (sprayers) to market, reducing the amount of product that is released into the environment by 50%. Further, the fine grain adaptation allows to save 38.5% diesel. For a small farmer with 10 hectare of vertical crop this results in product and fuel savings worth 4630 Euros annually. Moreover, the project is meeting key requirements of the EU Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable use of pesticides and is in line with the food chain industry standard GLOBAL G.A.P.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Specifically, for the H3O technology, the customer focused design objective is to reduce pesticide losses by 50%, and fuel consumption by 38.5%. This is achieved thanks to the sprayer's adaptation to the vegetation characteristics and climatic conditions during applications, as well as through a proactive warning system that diminishes the need to carry out a second plant protection product (PPP) treatments. This results in savings of €462.5 per hectare per year, using Spanish prices for plant protection products and diesel fuel. H3O technology, hence, yields for an average grower with 10 hectares of vertical crop yearly savings of €4625, which in turn results in a payback period of less than 1.4 years. Industrial size farms are able to manage up 35 hectares with a single sprayer, which results in an even shorter payback period of less than five months.

Moreover, all H3O developments go well in line with the European Union Directive 2009/128/EC “establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides”, as well as Directive 2009/127/EC, “amending Directive 2006/42/EC with regard to machinery for pesticide application”, which requires that “machinery must be designed and constructed to ensure that pesticide is deposited on target areas, to minimize losses to other areas and to prevent drift of pesticide to the environment”.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Putting H3O phytosanitary product savings into the bigger picture, if Europe’s entire vertical crop surface would be treated with H3O technology, farmers would bring 18 930 000 litres less PPP out into the fields each year, which makes it clear that H3O not only produces Healthy crop, Healthy environment, Healthy finances, but potentially much improved living conditions for all of us.

Air Blast Futur H3O Smart Air Pro - diagonal view

Air Blast Futur H3O Smart Air Pro - side view