Andriani to consolidate its digitization process and to promote regenerative and digital agriculture thanks to xFarm
Thanks to the platform developed by xFarm Technologies, 130 farms belonging to the Legumes Supply Chain led by Andriani will start a process of optimization and digitization of production.
How? Through the development of specific agronomic models for crop protection, new production manuals and the dissemination of new, regenerative agriculture practices, with a view to increasing sustainability.
Milan and Gravina in Puglia, October 10th 2022 – Thanks to the collaboration between xFarm Technologies – the tech company that aims to digitalize the agri-food sector – and Andriani Spa Benefit company and BCorp – one of the most important companies in food innovation – the digitization of legumes production is expanding and improving. The fusion of tradition and technological innovation within a historic Italian group is the pivotal element of this collaboration, which aims to consolidate the principles of digitalization to increase the sustainability of production, while respecting biodiversity and traceability.
To achieve these ambitious objectives, the tech company will provide the innovative Apulian company with the digital platform xFarm, which will support farmers and all the supply chain operators at every stage of production: from farm management and supply chain monitoring, with specific risk warnings for the onset of legume diseases, up to the management and enhancement of sustainability with the integrated calculation of various environmental indicators. In addition, xFarm will also support Andriani in the development of new production manuals with new guidelines to support farmers towards the adoption of sustainable cropping practices.
For Andriani, this is a further step in its path towards an increasingly sustainable development. A path that started a long time ago and sees the company constantly engaged in the implementation of innovative and virtuous solutions, as well as in the pursuit of an inclusive process that seeks to actively involve the entire supply chain, from a value network perspective.
Agriculture 4.0, a five-year project
The project will start in January 2023 with the involvement of 130 farms and will run for five years. It will be fully operational by 2028, when 200 farms scattered throughout Italy will be involved and 7,000 hectares will be digitalized.
The platform, which is available on mobile and on desktop, allows to manage the entire supply chain. In facts, it allows farmers to monitor in real time the different production phases and to improve agricultural practices, and the supply chain managers to visualize the aggregate data of the different farms participating in the supply chain and to monitor parameters and indicators such as carbon footprint, water footprint, eutrophication and acidification.
In addition to digitalization, the project involves the development of specific production manuals. The manuals will be updated with new chapters on regenerative agriculture practices, such as the use of cover crops, minimum tillage and green manure.
For the complete realization of the project, it is necessary to involve all the players in the supply chain. Farmers will attend a training course held by the xFarm Technologies team of agronomists and engineers. The course aims to introduce the platform and its functions, and to make sure that all the tools are understood and used to the fullest potential.
Field sensors, risk management and environmental impact reduction
Through the integration of IoT sensors, climate data and forecast models, the xFarm platform allows you to fully control agronomic management. Knowing the risk of insurgence of legume diseases allows on the one hand to prevent plant stress, and on the other hand to reduce the use of plant protection products, thus improving sustainability.
Furthermore, the analysis of the data collected in the field will allow to have a more precise understanding of the environmental footprint of the supply chain, which is essential for improving decision-making processes and agronomic techniques at both farm level and supply-chain level.
“Economic and environmental sustainability is the real challenge for supply chains. This last season showed us that drought and the costs of raw materials are putting farms in great difficulty. We need cutting-edge tools and technologies that on the one hand increase the efficiency of the agricultural and reduce the environmental impact of the entire productions on the other. We are happy to be alongside Andriani in this path towards a more sustainable legumes production, thanks to digitalization”- explains Giovanni Causapruno, Agrifood business unit manager at xFarm Technologies.
“Especially in the industrial sector, in order to fully achieve sustainability we must involve the entire supply chain. For this reason, as a company we are committed to providing solutions and guidelines for conscious action and to stimulate innovative approaches, implementing dialogue and discussion with partners and suppliers, in the wake of cooperation and transparency” – echoes Michele Andriani, President and CEO of Andriani S.p.A. Benefit company and BCorp.