Naples, April 10 – A new center of excellence for the agriculture of the future, an Agri-Tech hub, has been officially inaugurated in Naples. This initiative brings together Italian universities, businesses, researchers, students, and innovators, aiming to concretely shape eco-digital agriculture that combines environmental sustainability and technological innovation.
Eco-Digital Agriculture Takes Center Stage in Naples
Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, promoter of the EcoDigital network and former Minister of Environment and Agriculture, made the announcement during the inauguration of the ARCA technological demonstrator. The demonstrator was created within the framework of the national Agri-Tech center.
“A center of excellence for the agriculture of the future is being established right here in Naples: an Agri-Tech hub that involves Italian universities, businesses, researchers, students, and innovators. It is here that eco-digital agriculture, capable of combining environmental sustainability and technological innovation, concretely takes shape,” stated Pecoraro Scanio.
High-Level Project with Focus on Robotics and Climate Simulation
Pecoraro Scanio further elaborated on the project’s scope, highlighting its high-level nature. “We are talking about a very high-level project with dozens of researchers engaged in robotics, climate simulation, and new cultivation techniques. Technologies that help us understand the effects of climate change and develop innovative agricultural models, capable of preserving our traditions precisely through innovation,” he continued.
A central element, according to Pecoraro Scanio, also concerns new forms of production. “Soilless agriculture, often organic but not yet recognized as such because it is too innovative, represents a regulatory and cultural challenge that we must face. This is where the game of eco-digital transition is played,” he emphasized.
Naples Federico II University Leads the Way
The University of Naples Federico II has demonstrated significant capability in this endeavor. “The University of Naples Federico II has shown great capacity, managing to quickly use the PNRR resources to create an advanced infrastructure. This center can and must become a beacon for the Mediterranean, as already highlighted by the rector and the deputy director of the FAO,” Pecoraro Scanio added.
Call for Investments and Youth Engagement
Pecoraro Scanio also issued an appeal to institutions and new generations, urging them to support this crucial transition. “The Campania Region must accompany this path with further investments. The eco-digital transition of agriculture will be guided above all by young people and women, already protagonists of the great transformations of the sector, from the orientation law to multifunctionality. Agri-Tech today represents a further step forward in the path we started over twenty years ago,” he concluded.
This initiative is expected to position Naples as a leading center for agricultural innovation, fostering sustainable practices and technological advancements across the Mediterranean region and beyond.
