News & Events

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NEWS

InPP took part in the kick-off meeting for the European PROSPER project, held on October 2 and 3 in Pavia, Italy. In attendance were the director of the Monitoring and Diagnostics Department, Ilaria Marengo, and the project manager, Bruno Orrico.

PROSPER's main objective is to transform European agriculture by valorizing highly resilient “orphan” legumes - forgotten crops, but full of potential to face the climate and food challenges of the future.

The project promotes sustainable, innovative practices adapted to different agricultural realities.

Over the two days, 27 partners from 13 countries met for presentations, in-depth discussions and strategic talks about the project's next steps.

We are excited about what comes next, certain that this journey will be more than a collaboration - it will be a true cooperation within an exceptional team.

Join us and keep up to date with all the news from the PROSPER Project!

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the project launch meeting BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomia ao Serviço da Sustentabilidade dos Territórios do Interior (Bioeconomy at the Service of the Sustainability of Inland Territories), which took place on October 1st at the School of Agriculture of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB).

Funded by COMPETE 2023, the BioLivingLABS project, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, in partnership with the InPP, the IPCB, from AQUAVALOR and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB).

This project's mission is to add value to the low-density territories in the north, center and south of the country by demonstrating and economically boosting the work carried out by the partners - through the creation, demonstration and application of products, processes and services resulting from joint research.

Four living laboratories will be created (Living Labs) in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas, which they intend to promote:

  • the transfer of knowledge;
  • technology demonstration;
  • strategic roadmapping and
  • the protection of intellectual property.

BioLivingLABS strengthens the link between academia, business and society, driving innovation and sustainability.

Expected impact:
Over the course of 24 months, and with Living Labs dedicated to sectors such as olive groves and olive oil, vineyards and wine, fruit and cereals, legumes, among others, the project will contribute to:

  • increase regional competitiveness;
  • promote sustainable practices and
  • responding to the environmental, social and economic challenges facing inland territories.

More news about this new project soon.

On September 25, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the National Exhibition of Blue Bioeconomy Pact Projects, held at the Port of Leixões Cruise Terminal, for the exhibition session of the Algae Vertical project, led by PhytoBloom by Necton.

InPP, leader of sub-project 6 - Agriculture, was represented by department director Cristina Azevedo and executive director António Saraiva, who presented some of the new algae-based biosolutions that our team and partners are developing.

There were more than 300 participants and 80 entities, including companies, research centers and political decision-makers. The Opening Conference was attended by the Chairman of Inovamar's General and Supervisory Board, José Soares dos Santos, and round tables were held on the future of the blue economy in Portugal.

Algae Vertical explores the biotechnological potential of algae in sectors as diverse as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and energy.

Find out more about the Algae Vertical Project here

EVENTS

How are innovations being made in the monitoring, diagnosis and management of plant pests and diseases? What decision support platforms are being used at national level? And which smart traps are being applied in the field?

These are some of the questions that will be answered in the webinar “Innovation in pest and disease forecasting models”, promoted by the Centro Operativo e Tecnológico Hortofrutícola Nacional (COTHN), which will take place on July 19, starting at 2pm, and where these and many other topics will be discussed!

The director of InPP's Monitoring and Diagnostics Department, iLaria Marengo, will be one of the speakers at the webinar that will present the Xylella Monitoring platform, which is being developed by our team as part of the SNM_XylellaVt project - National System for Monitoring Insect Vectors of Xylella fastidiosa, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).

Participation in the session is free, but prior registration is required here.

See the full program in the image below

The webinar will be held as part of the CALL4EARTH project, promoted by COTHN and funded by the PDR2020.

The Insectera Mobilizing Agenda continues at a good pace and the InFrass axis, led by InnovPlantProtect (InPP), is no exception!

The webinar New BioIndustry: “Agronomic valorization of organic insect fertilizer” will take place on July 24 at 11 a.m., bringing together the InPP, academia, insect-producing companies and government authorities to discuss the development and use of organic fertilizers generated from insects that will generate new product lines and innovative processes.

Sandra Correia, director of the Department for the Protection of Specific Crops at the InPP, will be one of the speakers at the webinar presenting the InFrass axis, led by the InPP.

Participation in the session is free, but prior registration is required.

Find out how we're helping to improve the health of plants and soil!

See the full program and register here.

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) and our partners Associação Portuguesa de Mobilização de Conservação do Solo (APOSOLO) and Reynolds Wine Growers are featured in two episodes produced as part of the series “Agriculture: Past, Present and Future”, promoted by the Futuragri project, led by INOVA+.

The first episode of the series “Agriculture: Past, Present and Future”, with the participation of Pedro Fevereiro, executive director of InPP, and Gabriela Cruz, president of the APOSOLO Board, shows the biological and digital solutions that have been developed by the collaborative laboratory and the new technologies that have been used to protect crops from pests and diseases.

The second episode, featuring Nuno Faria, a researcher in the InPP's pest and disease monitoring and diagnostics department, and Nélson Martins, head of viticulture and oenology at Reynolds Wine Growers, shows what the InPP's team of researchers has been doing to combat the green leafhopper, or cicadela, one of the main pests affecting vineyards in the Alentejo.

Watch the full first episode and second episode on the project's YouTube here.

Futuragri is a project funded by the European Union (EU) and led by INOVA+, which aims to inform and enlighten the national population about the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and play a fundamental role in the agricultural panorama in the EU and particularly in Portugal.