Practice Abstract - Research and innovation

Application of a circular knowledge model in TRAS.IRRI.MA Operational Group

TRAS.IRRI.MA (Prenos preverjene tehnologije upravljanja namakanja in protokolov za optimizacijo namakanja)

TRAS.IRRI.MA is an operational group that focuses on how to facilitate the introduction of improved irrigation management models in fruit production. The idea behind the project was to spread knowledge from the European initiative "EIP-water". The issue of water scarcity for agricultural purposes is so widespread in the Basilicata region that all AKIS actors were interested to implement the project.
In the first year, meetings were organised to gather farmers’ needs and agree on objective. The University (involved in EIP-water) provided specific training for advisors (technical advisors from Asso Fruit organisation, private advisors and advisors from public extension service), which act as a connection between researchers and farmers and facilitate the transfer of field work to the farmers who are not involved in the project by organising open events. With the acquired knowledge, advisors were able to advise which solution for water management would be most appropriate for a specific problem and adapt it based on characteristic of the farm. But the knowledge flow goes in the other direction too, so the goal is also to collect knowledge and experiences from farmers, who use innovative technologies for water management. Based on the tests made on farms, the best water management models were selected and open field visits on farm were organised. Field visits are open and free for everybody in the Region. In this way other farmers/advisors can also come and learn which water management tools exist, how they work, what are their advantages and how to use them. They can also see other farmers while using the technology and, at the same time, discuss about how to improve irrigation with advisors, technician and researchers.

Glavni cilj projekta TRAS.IRRI.MA je izboljšati upravljanje z vodo in povečati trajnostnost v pridelavi sadja z uvedbo inovativne in okolju prijazne tehnike. Ker je cilj projekta zagotoviti, da znanje o inovativnih pristopih pri upravljanju z vodo doseže čim več kmetov, je diseminacija najpomembnejši del projekta, pri čemer imajo kmetijski svetovalci glavno vlogo. Med projektom je bila na testnih kmetijah preizkušena cela paleta sodobne tehnologije za upravljanje z vodo. Po testnem obdobju so bili izbrani najboljši modeli upravljanja z vodo oz. kmetije z najboljšimi rezultati. Na teh kmetijah se izvajajo brezplačne demonstracije, kjer se lahko kmetje in svetovalci naučijo, katera orodja za upravljanje voda obstajajo, kako delujejo, kakšne so njihove prednosti in kako jih uporabljati. Tehnologijo lahko vidijo med uporabo, hkrati pa lahko izmenjajo izkušnje in pridobijo znanje od kmetov in svetovalcev, vključenih v projekt. Učinek takšnega načina razširjanja je že dokazan, saj številni kmetje prosijo svetovalce za pomoč pri nakupu tovrstne tehnologije in uporabi na terenu. Svetovalci pravijo, da so nekateri kmetje odprti za inovacije, zato je z njimi enostavno vzpostaviti dialog; izziv so predvsem tisti kmetje, ki so manj pripravljeni na inovacije in potrebujejo več podpore s strani svetovalcev, da začnejo razmišljati bolj inovativno. V ta namen so svetovalci v sodelovanju z raziskovalci za kmete izdelali smernice in protokole upravljanja z vodo, katerih namen je izboljšati ozaveščenost kmetov o potrebi prilagajanja podnebnim spremembam. Cilj je doseči čim več kmetov, ne samo v regiji Basilicata, ampak tudi v drugih regijah Italije.

Source Project
i2connect - Connecting advisers to boost interactive innovation in agriculture and forestry
Ongoing | 2019-2024
Main funding source
Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Geographical location
France
Project details

Project Keywords