Digital agriculture is gaining ground in our country: technology becomes farmers' ally in the face of climate change

Digital agriculture is starting to become one of the main solutions for Romanian farmers who are facing the effects of climate change, the increase in input prices and the volatility of international agricultural markets. Specialists from academia, industry and the public sector discussed these challenges and the technological solutions available at the Entrepreneurial Discovery Workshop "Smart Farming - Automotive for Agriculture", organized at the University of Life Sciences of Iaşi. The event brought together farmers, researchers and representatives of the agricultural industry in the Aula Magna "Haralamb Vasiliu", where they discussed how digital technologies, sensors and artificial intelligence can transform the way agricultural crops are managed.

• Smart agriculture - the direction of the future in Europe

The university's rector, Gerard Jităreanu, emphasized that smart agriculture is becoming one of the major directions of development at the European level and, implicitly, for Romanian agriculture. "Digital agriculture seems to be one of the main directions in which European and, obviously, Romanian agriculture will go," he said. According to the rector, farmers are increasingly affected by extreme weather phenomena, rising prices for agricultural inputs and the volatility of international markets, and the use of smart technologies can contribute to increasing efficiency and reducing costs.

• How digital agriculture works

The "Smart Farming" model involves the integration of data collected in real time from several sources: smart agricultural machinery; sensors installed in the soil to measure humidity and fertility; weather stations; digital applications and analysis platforms based on artificial intelligence. All this information is analyzed by specialized programs that help farmers make quick and precise decisions regarding irrigation, fertilization or phytosanitary treatments. The goal is to increase agricultural productivity and reduce the consumption of pesticides and other inputs, as well as limit soil compaction and protect the environment.

• The link between agriculture and the automotive industry

The event was organized in partnership with the North-East Regional Development Agency and focused on the intersection of agriculture and modern technologies inspired by the automotive industry. Among the areas analyzed were: smart and automated agricultural machinery; predictive maintenance systems for equipment; digitalization of agricultural processes;

solutions for safety and sustainability. These technologies combine expertise in the fields of agri-food, IT&C and environment, considered priorities in the region's smart specialization strategy.

• Funding for innovative projects

Representatives of the North-East ADR announced that the institution is preparing new funding programs for innovative projects, including a call dedicated to technological clusters. Expert Claudiu Mitrea explained that these initiatives aim to stimulate collaboration between academia, companies and farmers to develop technological solutions applied in agriculture. "The first call currently under consultation is dedicated to innovative clusters. We have already started and are collaborating with a cluster from Iaşi to submit an international project,” he said.

• A paradigm shift in agriculture

The event also included interactive workshops, in which participants discussed opportunities for collaboration and innovation directions for digital agriculture. Specialists believe that Smart Farming could become an essential element for the competitiveness of Romanian agriculture in the coming years, especially in the context of increasingly strong climate and economic pressures. The adoption of digital technologies could contribute not only to increasing agricultural production, but also to more efficient use of natural resources and reducing environmental impact, increasingly important objectives in European agricultural policies.