TIC4BIO Operational Group: To increase the competitiveness of the Andalusian organic agri-food sector through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to optimize work, facilitate decision-making regarding the efficient use of water, and improve the biodiversity of farms, in full accordance with the objectives of the European Green Deal.

An innovative project that will increase the competitiveness of organic businesses (farms and agri-food industries) through the creation of an ICT tool that will facilitate decision-making, both for the efficient use of irrigation water and water used in agro-industry, and for calculating and improving the level of biodiversity on the farm, thus addressing the environmental and natural resource conservation concerns of the most demanding market.

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals promoted by the United Nations, the European Commission published the European Green Deal in December 2019. The main objective of this Pact is to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, thus placing the environment at the center of all European policies. As a result of this European Green Deal, two strategies directly linked to this project were published in May 2020: the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy. Both share the goal of increasing the usable agricultural land used for organic production in the EU by more than 25% by 2030.

Experts assert that organic farming and agroecology are the agriculture of the future, a system of agricultural management and food production that combines best practices in environmental and climate protection, a high level of biodiversity, the conservation of natural resources, and the application of strict animal welfare and production standards that meet the demands expressed by a growing number of consumers.
In turn, the European Commission establishes that organic production is the sustainable agriculture of the future and, as such, must lead by example.
On the other hand, the most demanding consumers are increasingly showing interest in respecting the environment and preserving natural resources. It is well known that today, biodiversity loss is one of the most important environmental problems worldwide, and in climates like the Mediterranean, water scarcity is becoming an increasingly pressing issue.

Organic production establishes in its own standard, as principles, respect for natural systems and cycles and the maintenance and improvement of the state of the soil, water, and air, the health of plants and animals, and the balance between them, the responsible use of resources such as water, and not only the conservation of biodiversity, but also the contribution to a high degree of it.
This innovative project will increase the competitiveness of organic businesses (farms and agri-food industries) by creating an ICT tool that will facilitate decision-making, both for the efficient use of irrigation water and water used in agro-industry, and for calculating and improving the level of biodiversity on the farm, thus addressing the environmental and natural resource conservation concerns of the most demanding market.

To this end, the tool will be developed, implemented, and fine-tuned in a pilot program before being opened for use by interested companies. To ensure optimal management of water and biodiversity resources, the tool will be based on information captured by local and remote sensors, transmitted and processed using ICTs.