The American Farm College (AFS) in Thessaloniki, Greece, is spearheading a transformative mission aimed toward revolutionizing agricultural schooling and practices by the implementation of a data-driven, good greenhouse. In collaboration with Cisco, Dataways S.A., and Inexperienced Undertaking S.A., this initiative integrates cutting-edge Web of Issues (IoT) applied sciences, offering college students with hands-on expertise in good farming whereas demonstrating the technological advantages to native farmers.
The Want for Innovation
Greenhouse farming performs a vital position in fashionable agriculture by addressing meals safety, useful resource conservation, and sustainability. It facilitates year-round manufacturing whereas safeguarding crops towards pests, ailments, and excessive climate. This method conserves very important sources like water, makes use of renewable vitality to scale back greenhouse fuel emissions, and minimizes chemical utilization.
Nevertheless, many farms throughout Greece, nonetheless depend on conventional practices that restrict effectivity and productiveness. To beat these challenges, AFS is partnering with Cisco to modernize its curriculum and incorporate data-driven greenhouse expertise into its agricultural schooling program. As well as, the Greek Ministry of Agricultural Improvement and Meals has a plan to assist and assist Greek farmers construct new and good greenhouses.
Lately unveiled at a particular occasion on AFS’ campus, the “good and digital greenhouse” drew notable attendees, together with Kostas Tsiaras, the Minister of Agricultural Improvement and Meals. Tsiaras emphasised the importance of greenhouse cultivation applications for enhancing Greece’s main sector and export capabilities, and highlighted Greece’s shift from a deficit to a constructive agricultural steadiness, noting the rise in meals and vegetable exports since 2023. He additionally famous that in Greece there are roughly 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares) of greenhouse cultivation, whereas within the Netherlands, whose space is twice that of the Greek area of Thessaly, the corresponding space reaches 120,000 acres (48,000 hectares).
Stratos Simopoulos, Chairman of the Analysis and Expertise Committee of the Parliament, pressured the significance of recent expertise in growing sustainability and resilience in agriculture. He remarked, “Greenhouse cultivation is evolving right into a cutting-edge sector, contributing to decreased water and pesticide use whereas concurrently rising manufacturing.”
Cisco’s Good Answer
As a part of Cisco’s Nation Digital Acceleration program, and in partnership with Dataways S.A. and Inexperienced Tasks S.A., Cisco applied a state-of-the-art, information pushed, Good Greenhouse answer at AFS. This initiative contains high-bandwidth wi-fi transmission programs, environmental sensors, automated controls, surveillance cameras, and information accessibility instruments. These applied sciences allow real-time monitoring and optimization of greenhouse situations, demonstrating the transformative energy of IoT in agriculture. Nikos Lambrogeorgos, Public Sector Consumer Government at Cisco Hellas, highlighted the set up of those applied sciences and their position in reaching extra sustainable crop administration, rising manufacturing, and lowering vitality and water prices.
A Instructing and Inspirational Mannequin
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Greece’s economic system, tradition, and heritage. In response to the European Fee’s Frequent Agricultural Coverage (CAP) Strategic Plan for Greece, round 400,000 individuals are employed in agriculture, accounting for about 10% of complete employment. Though this proportion has decreased through the years, agriculture stays very important to Greece’s economic system, contributing considerably to exports and rural employment.
The Good Greenhouse at AFS serves as a pioneering mannequin for agricultural development in Greece, providing college students sensible expertise in good farming methods and performing as an illustration website for native farmers. AFS President Dr. Jeff Landsdale acknowledged, “The good and digital greenhouse just isn’t solely a technological innovation but additionally an academic software that may assist the college’s college students achieve beneficial information and abilities for the longer term.”
IoT That Evokes
As Europe continues its digital transformation journey, tasks just like the Good Greenhouse in Greece exemplify IoT’s potential to revolutionize conventional industries. By delivering the Good Greenhouse mission, Cisco has bolstered its management in IoT options tailor-made to the agricultural sector. This initiative underscores Cisco’s dedication to driving digital transformation in schooling and agriculture, illustrating with its companions {that a} extra vitality environment friendly and technologically superior future is inside attain.
This submit was co-authored by Nikolaos Lambrogeorgos,
Consumer Government at Cisco Greece
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