It has its own “nervous system” composed of interconnected smart sensors and the ability to communicate with farmers in real time. It is efficient, ecological, and highly technological: the first intelligent greenhouse has been created in Salento, Italy, as the final product of the SIMPLe project, coordinated by CMCC.

The smart eco-greenhouse is the final outcome of the SIMPLe project – Integrated and automated systems for indoor farming, whose results will be presented on Friday, June 16, 2023, during a seminar titled “Integrated Automated Systems for Indoor Cultivation”, at the University of Salento.

The SIMPLe project, implemented within the framework of the PSR 2014/2020 Puglia, was designed to meet the environmental sustainability requirements proposed by the European Commission, while promoting the economic competitiveness of agricultural businesses. These objectives can be achieved through the implementation of strategies to reduce environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions generated during the production cycle, modernize facilities, and address challenges that can reduce crop productivity, such as climate variability or the presence of pathogens.

In this context, the objective of the SIMPLe project is to develop an application for intelligent management of agricultural production in protected environments, such as greenhouses, using technology and interconnected sensors. The goal is to achieve higher yields while ensuring better environmental sustainability, guaranteeing high product quality, avoiding the use of harmful substances for the environment and human health, optimizing the use of resources such as fertilizers and water, and reducing costs.

Researchers Matteo Bellotta, Gabriele Pizzileo, Sergio Noce, Marco Mancini, and Maria Vincenza Chiriacò of the CMCC Foundation, which coordinated the project under the scientific supervision of Lucio Colizzi from SmartEducation Lab, provided the necessary agroclimatic indicators information for short and medium to long-term crop planning. They also conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis of the horticultural production process to estimate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) and water consumption of the intelligent eco-greenhouse compared to a traditional greenhouse.

The project aims to present and provide the regional horticultural sector with an automated and highly efficient greenhouse production system, thanks to the use of sensors capable of monitoring the entire crop cycle, making it smart and sustainable.

The seminar includes the following talks:

– SIMPLe: Architecture and technologies for agriculture 4.0 with Lucio Colizzi (University of Bari and SmartEducation Lab)
– SIMPLe: Decision models with Emanuela Guerriero (University of Salento, Business Analytics and Decision Support Systems)
– Companies’ experiences by Cooperativa San Rocco and Masseria Bianca
– Can agriculture 4.0 reduce greenhouse gas emissions from soil-based greenhouse cultivation? with Gabriele Pizzileo (CMCC)

More information here.

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