Agritech - National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies

Project

Proposer: University of Naples Federico II
Total number of partners involved: 51
Number of Universities involved: 28
Number of public research bodies involved: 3
Number of private bodies involved: 5
Number of companies involved: 15
Funding granted: 320.070.095,50 euro

Description

The Center conducts research and promotes the development of innovative technologies in the agricultural sector to improve the quantity and quality of its production, ensuring sustainable adaptation to climate change also through prevention, resistance and resilience.

The adoption of agroecological and conservation agriculture principles, combined with the selection of new production varieties and the rediscovery of ancient crops, will allow the diversification of the production and support local supply chains by reducing waste, surpluses and environmental impacts.

Timing

Start date of activities: 01/09/2022
End date of activities: 31/09/2025

Project Organization

The project features a Hub & Spoke governance structure. The Foundation called "National Research Center for Agricultural Technologies (Agritech)" and established as the Hub, is responsible for coordinating and implementing the program. The 9 Spokes are in charge of carrying out the activities making use of the collaboration of Affiliated subjects as well. The University of Udine is affiliated to Spoke 4, whose leader is the University of Padua.
Hub Agritech.png

Research areas

The project is divided in 9 different strategic and thematic areas, which will be the domains of investigation and exploitation of the Spokes:
Spoke 1 – Plant, animal and microbial genetic resources and adaptation to climatic changes;
Spoke 2 – Crop Health: a multidisciplinary system approach to reduce the use of agrochemicals;
Spoke 3 – Enabling technologies and sustainable strategies for the smart management of agricultural systems and their environmental impact;
Spoke 4 – Multifunctional and resilient agriculture and forestry systems for the mitigation of climate change risks;
Spoke 5 – Sustainable productivity and mitigation of environmental impact in livestock systems;
Spoke 6 – Management models to promote sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems;
Spoke 7 – Integrated models for the development of marginal areas to promote multifunctional production systems enhancing agroecological and socio-economic sustainability;
Spoke 8 – New models of circular economy in agriculture through waste valorization and recycling;
Spoke 9 – New technologies and methodologies for traceability, quality, safety, measurements and certifications to enhance the value and protect the typical traits in agri-food chains.

The role of UniUD

The University of Udine is involved, within Spoke 4, in 3 main lines of activity:
1. Identification of agricultural varieties resistant to climate change;
2. Innovation of production strategies in the agro-forestry system for the mitigation of climate change and the increase of adaptation processes;
3. Development of platforms to maximize productivity even in unstable environmental conditions.

UniUD research team

Alessandro Peressotti – Uniud Scientific Coordinator for Agritech project
Giorgio Alberti
Desiderato Annoscia
Mirco Corazzin
Emanuele De Paoli
Elisa Marraccini
Alandia Robles Gabriela Renèe
Lorenzo Scalera
Giuseppe Serra
Mirko Sodini
Paolo Sivilotti
Laura Zanin

Current vacancies

Position: Research fellowship
Duration: 36 months
Call - CLOSED
Discipline: SSD AGR/19 (Animal science)
Title: Study and quantification of ecosystem services provided by mixed farms.
Principal Investigator: Prof. Mirco Corazzin
Call - CLOSED
Discipline: SSD AGR/07 (Agricultural genetics)
Title: Development of new genetic resources and molecular methods for a sustainable and resilient viticulture.
Principal Investigator: Dott. Emanuele De Paoli

Call - CLOSED
Discipline: SSD AGR/13 (Agricultural chemistry)
Title: Plant phenotyping to identify mechanisms involved in crop resilience to abiotic stresses.
Principal Investigator: Dott.ssa Laura Zanin
Position: Type A Fixed term researcher

Call - CLOSED
Discipline: SSD AGR/03 (General arboriculture and tree crops)
Title of the project: Multifunctional and resilient agriculture and forestry systems for the mitigation of climate change risks.

Call - CLOSED
Discipline: SSD AGR/02 (Agronomy and herbaceous cultivation)
Title of the project: Implementation and management of a network of farms for evaluation and the transfer of technologies aimed at mitigating climate change.