LIFE Project: LIFE Farm, fresh fruit
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2019 -2022
- Assigned Budget 1.172.994,00 €
- Scope Europeo
- Autonomous community Comunitat Valenciana
- Main source of financing LIFE
- Project website Web del proyecto
The project aims to demonstrate how H3O technology enables intelligent, precision treatments based on plant mass. The project will conduct real-life trials to demonstrate the significant reduction in the environmental impact of spraying in the high-value crop sector thanks to the use of H3O technology.
- Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vineyards and olive groves with the use of FEDE's innovative Air Blast H30 spraying technology
- Replicate the demonstration transnationally to achieve significant positive environmental impacts globally, through a newly created distributor certification program
- Make LIFE-F3 sustainable in the long term for all project partners.
Pesticide residues are the number one food-related concern for EU citizens, with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announcing that over 97.4% of food products contain pesticide residues. Therefore, reducing pesticide use in fruit production is a major global societal challenge and is in line with EU Directive 2009/128/EC, which requires integrated pest management, as well as Directive 2016/2031/EC, which requires a proportionate and effective response to plant health threats through a combination of technological, ecological, and institutional management.
Even so, overuse of pesticides is widespread, and imprecise application causes serious health problems and dangerous pest resistance. Much conventional spraying equipment remains highly inefficient, with more than 50% of pesticides not reaching the target organisms. Instead, they pollute the environment, with considerable negative effects on biodiversity, bees, passersby, and the ecosystem as a whole. New Air Blast H3O sprayers, on the other hand, allow for precise treatments based on vegetation characteristics and other parameters, resulting in reductions in pesticide use of around 25%.
To demonstrate the implementation of Pulverizadores FEDE's high-efficiency advanced pesticide sprayers and cloud computing technology in a Spanish vineyard and a Portuguese olive plantation, achieving reductions in biocide and/or pesticide use of more than 25% compared to standard pesticide application methods.
- Reduction in the amount of biocidal products and/or pesticides used compared to current practices, as well as reductions in the amount of tractor fuel and water used for spraying operations
- The innovative air duct design of the Air Blast H30 axial sprayer reduces noise pollution by 15 dBA.
- More than 1,331 tons of pesticides saved by 2022
- 345,980 liters of diesel fuel saved.
- Coordinator/entity name: Lars Torsten
Postal address: Polígono Castilla, vial 3. Parcela 61F 61G, 46380, Cheste,
- Pulverizadores Fede S.L.U.
- MOZ(Tractores e Maquinas Agricolas de Estremoz, S.A.)
- VIBASA(VIDAL Y BASOLS, S.A.)
- VERO(VIñAS DEL VERO SAU)
- ELAIA(Elaia Monte do Outeiro, S.A.)
Related projects
