The Vinstein project is underway with the University of Pisa at its centre
Zelari: «Meteorological conditions and water scarcity have undergone an epochal change, which forces us to operate differently»
[24 Aprile 2024]
The University of Pisa has signed an agreement with Fastweb, Zelari Piante and Netsens which kicks off the Vinstein project, promoted with a tender from the Tuscany Region financed for two years with the resources of the European Social Fund+ 2021-2027.
«The agreement – they explain from the University – provides for the creation of an ‘AgriLab’ in which the Agriculture 4.0 Internt of things solution will be tested and validated, which will represent the first and so far only solution in Italy specific for the nursery sector. The Agrilab will be made up of three experimental sites: two at the universities of Pisa and one inside the Zelari nursery in Pistoia”.
The technological support of Fastweb and Netsens derives from the ambition to improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact in the nursery sector, leveraging technologies such as advanced sensors, edge computing and 5G, to optimize the use of resources in nurseries and to produce healthier and more resistant plants, reducing water consumption and the use of fertilizers and agrochemicals.
«Vinstein represents a technological uniqueness and an excellent opportunity for the nursery sector to embrace innovation and sustainability – explains Cristina Nali, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Pisa – Thanks to the collaboration between academic institutions, technology companies and agricultural producers, the project aims to radically transform the way plants are grown and managed, promoting a smarter and more efficient approach. This is agriculture’s response to the challenge of climate change and sustainability.”
The next step will allow the creation of a solution that is replicable, scalable and also applicable to other types of crops, as well as being economically accessible for the entire network of agricultural entrepreneurs.
«We have been producing plants for over 70 years within the Pistoia district, known throughout the world as the capital of greenery – concludes Andrea Zelari, legal representative of Zelari Piante – Our vast range of ornamental outdoor plants has allowed us to satisfy the expectations of green throughout Europe. But weather conditions and water scarcity, fundamental elements in our sector, have undergone an epochal change that forces us to operate differently. The union between nature and technology developed in this project opens a new path full of hope.”
