With these premises, the "AGRI Smart" (AGRI’s) Cooperation Partnership project aimed at: Objective 1: Promoted agriculture entrepreneurship as a sustainable farming model. Objective 2: Developed precision agriculture in Europe to answer the growing need for food and promoted a new model of farming towards a more sustainable one. Objective 3: Empowered adults with digital and entrepreneurial skills in the agro-food industry to become actors of a sustainable future and become more competitive actors at the same time.
With the global population surpassing 9 billion by 2050 and food demand increasing by 70%, traditional farming fell short in addressing future needs. Recognizing the importance of sustainable production, digital farming emerged, leveraging precision technology. Precision agriculture, defined as applying the right treatment at the right time and place, gained traction, particularly in irrigation methods aimed at water conservation and improved yields (2019). In 2019, 24 EU Member States acknowledged the potential of digital technologies in addressing economic, social, climate, and environmental challenges in agriculture. Roberto Viola from the European Commission highlighted consumer expectations for high-quality, safe, and environmentally conscious food (08/03/2020). Digital farming, integrating AI, robotics, and data analysis, arose as a solution to enhance farm efficiency and environmental sustainability. Digital technologies were expected to enhance rural life quality and attract younger individuals to farming. With only 5.6% of European farms run by those under 35 in 2017, the "AGRI's" project aimed to equip adult educators with tools to promote awareness and provide skills for entrepreneurship in the agro-food industry.