The adoption of new technologies and agriculture digitalization are priority objectives, and key element for the accomplishment of new challenges included in the European Green Deal, the recently launched European Farm to Fork Strategy and the new CAP. The list of relevant R&D projects funded by the EC, national or local authorities, is indeed remarkable, allowing to generate a large list of stimulating devices, products, new concepts and practical tools to help farmers in their daily work. However, the degree of adoption of these new technologies is rather poor and heterogeneous among EU MS and related to specific types of farmers.
However, even considering the large list of available tools (new technical solutions, training materials, extensive online resources to improve knowledge) there is still a big gap between research, academia, and developing sectors on the one hand, and the majority of daily practices on the other. There is important room for improvement in the dissemination and communication of the large and important list of materials that are already available.
Appropriate and effective training to foster new knowledge and skills are key factors to accomplish the adoption of new legislation and technologies/ practices. Consequently, measures need to be taken to improve the educational level of all involved stakeholders. Achieving new competencies will lead to an improvement of the adoption of new technologies, and the thorough understanding of the EU legislation, which, in turn, will ensure a holistic and sustainable way of action.
The main objective of INNOSETA is to set up an Innovative self-sustainable Thematic Network on Spraying Equipment, Training and Advising to contribute in closing the gap between the available novel high-end crop protection solutions either commercial or from applicable research results with the everyday European agricultural practices. In this regard INNOSETA aims at promoting the effective exchange of novel ideas and information between research, industry, extension and the farming community so that existing research and commercial solutions can be widely communicated, while capturing grassroots level needs and innovative ideas from the farming community.
The main goal of the INNOSETA project was to develop a universal, easy-to-use, and free accessible platform where users could find and take advantage of all these new developments, training materials, ongoing projects, and industrial solutions that are ready to be used and directly implemented in their daily work, in their own language, and at their educational level. It has been found that, in most cases, these materials are not very well known and do not reach their final target. By using the developed platform, the users, whatever their language, educational level, or needs, will be able to find a large and precise body of information regarding the use of PPP.
