With livelihoods at stake, Europe's farmers are relying on the support of the EU and international research expertise to prevent and/or mitigate widespread damage to their crops and harvests. The scale of the cooperation involved shows that integrated pest management is everybody's business.
A project funded by the BBI JU under Horizon 2020 is developing innovative technologies that will enable mushroom farms to turn compost into novel bio-based products such as natural pesticides, cutting fossil fuel use and positioning the sector at the heart of Europe's circular economy.
The expansion of the world's population poses a number of urgent challenges, including increasing food production. An EU-funded project is developing an Earth observation (EO)-based IT platform that provides key information and advisory services to small farmers, to help them play their part in meeting future food needs.
With EU backing, an international team has developed a unique bespoke - modular yet integrated - solution for reusing wastewater in remote and/or water-stressed communities. The patented technologies are being piloted in locations where water is a precious commodity for agriculture or in the conservation of natural freshwater ecosystems.
EU-funded researchers have used geographical and spatial analysis techniques to uncover clues about the environment and society in Cyprus during the Ottoman Empire.
Vast volumes of data from satellites in space, drones in the air and sensors on the ground will be harnessed by a pioneering EU-funded project that promises to revolutionise farming, land use, agricultural sustainability and food security.
EU-funded researchers are developing salt-tolerant rice to protect this important crop from the effects of climate change and the exotic apple snail pest.
From local recycling schemes to community-led business start-ups, social innovation can drive the revitalisation of marginalised areas where markets and public administrations have failed. EU-funded researchers are studying examples of social innovation and exploring how best practices can be shared across Europe and beyond.
An EU-funded business accelerator has led to the successful launch of 10 European businesses in the agrifood sector. These now provide key technology products and services - fostering innovation and competitiveness.
An EU-funded project is striving to help farms become more resource-efficient, productive and environmentally-friendly by facilitating their use of modern technology.
