Public (Ismea) and Privat (Leonardo and A2A) sector together for agriculture 4.0

Public (Ismea) and Privat (Leonardo and A2A) sector together for agriculture 4.0 in Italy : optimization of manufacturing processes, production cost reduction, improvement of environmental quality and sustainability : these are the aims of IBF Servizi , set up thanks to the public-private partnership between Ismea and Bonifiche Ferraresi to promote the precision agriculture development , helping companies in this sector to embrace and implement innovative technological solutions. A project for the Italian agriculture, which became stronger after the entry of two hi-tech giants as Leonardo, that is involved in this venture thanks to e-Geos (Telespazio and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana company), among the international protagonists in the satellite observation of Earth and in geo-information, and A2A Smart City (A2A Group company), that develops and manages technological infrastructures, qualifying for digital integrated and networked services, which takes its own experience in the area of proximal sensor technology and in the development of narrowband networks.
The venture, presented today in Rome, during the conference “Dallo spazio alla terra. Il salto tecnologico per l’agricoltura italiana”, by Gian Marco Centinaio, the Minister for Agriculture, Raffaele Borriello, the Director General of Ismea, Valerio Camerano, CEO of A2A, Gianni De Gennaro, president of Leonardo, and Federico Vecchioni, CEO of BF S.p.A. . IBF services , thanks to the know-how from the research and development activities of Bonifiche Ferraresi and Ismea, include the monitoring of cultivations , the support for decisions of the irrigation and defense against pathogens activities, the provision of prescription maps for seeding and fertilizing. A wide range of modulable activities , that are effective both in small and big plots, allowing to meet the needs of a wide range of individuals. Support systems for business decisions, territorial information systems, and satellite tracking systems, in addition to proximal and remote sensors, are planning and management instruments increasingly important for farmers in order to optimize manufacturing factors.
Promoting and spreading the principles of precision agriculture with technologies permit to do the right thing in the right place at the right time, reducing wastage, increasing performances and optimizing the processes, with obvious benefits both in environmental and economic terms. “Investing in research and innovation to face the challenges of agri-food system allows us to have a clear view on the future, to be ready to answer to growing food demand and, at the same time, to support the creation of more sustainable production methods from an environmental point of view”, says Gian Marco Centinatio, Minister for Agriculture. “The worth of precision agriculture is a rational approach, precise and efficient from the natural resources used point of view and the management of manufacturing factors, but also the ecosystem services. A venture like this can contribute to embrace and spread advanced management and technical assistance services in agriculture on large-scale, directing the sector in the third millennium for a made in Italy increasingly quality and cutting edge.”
“With this project- underlines Raffaele Borriello, CEO of Ismea- we want to favor a more sustainable growth of the Italian agri-food system. Facilitating the access to methods, practices, and technologies of precision agriculture means to improve competitiveness
of our companies even through a production cost reduction, promoting agriculture increasingly respectful of environment and health of citizens. Ismea participation will ensure that Italian agricultural companies will benefit from these advantages, also those which, in terms of size, turnover, and limitations on background, couldn’t have the chance to benefit from them.”