Emilia Romagna's conference on research in the fruit and vegetable and potato sectors at Macfrut

On May 6, 2025, the MACFRUT fair in Rimini, Italy, hosted a pivotal conference on research in the fruit and vegetable and potato sectors, organized by the Emilia-Romagna Region, a member of AREFLH. The event focused on past and future investments in innovation, featuring insights from regional officials and representatives of agricultural producer organizations.

 

The conference opened with presentations from two regional officials. Patrizia Alberti outlined the financial commitments made between 2012 and 2022, during which 102 agricultural innovation projects were funded under the Rural Development program, amounting to €20.7 million. Of this budget, 78% supported Innovation Operational Groups (GOI), 19% went to Pilot Projects, and 3% was covered under Regional Law 17/2022. Key themes of these projects included farm competitiveness, agri-food chains, soil and water quality, pest control—particularly the Asian bug—and carbon sequestration.

For the 2023-2027 period, the region has already allocated €12 million for 2023 alone, financing 35 new projects. These investments aim to further drive agricultural efficiency and sustainability.

 

The second regional official, Gianmario De Martino, provided an overview of projects submitted by seven Associations of Producer Organizations (APO) and one Producer Organization (PO) for funding under the Sectoral Interventions program, supported by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (FEAGA). In 2025, 50 projects were presented to the Emilia-Romagna Region, 14 of which were shared initiatives among different APOs, totalling an expenditure of €4.6 million.

 

Future research areas highlighted during the discussion included the integration of drones, robotics, RNA applications for plant protection, artificial intelligence (AI), and new genomic techniques (NGTs)—technologies that promise to transform agricultural practices.

At the heart of the conference was the presentation of groundbreaking research projects by various APOs and POs, addressing key challenges in modern agriculture. Topics covered included:

• Data digitization to enhance farm productivity and decision-making.
• Soil mapping for precision agriculture, optimizing resource use.
• Biochar production from pruning waste, contributing to circular economy efforts.
• Breeding programs to develop crop varieties resistant to pests and environmental stresses.

In her concluding speech, Veronica Teglia (regional official) emphasized two key aspects: synergy and dissemination.

Synergy among projects funded by different sources, such as FEAGA and FEASR, must ensure strategic coordination, avoiding overlaps and fostering research diversification to explore a broad range of solutions.

At the same time, dissemination of results is crucial to transform innovations into practical and accessible tools for farmers, enabling a real impact on agricultural practices.

These principles strengthen research effectiveness, enhancing the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.