A Recap of the CERBERUS Agronomy Days 2024: Innovation, Collaboration, and Sustainability
The CERBERUS Project recently hosted its first-ever Agronomy Days in Jérica, Spain, bringing together scientists, farmers, and citizens to explore cutting-edge solutions for sustainable pest control and precision agriculture. This milestone event fostered collaboration and showcased how innovation and teamwork are shaping the future of farming.
Throughout the event, held from December 17 to 20, project partners gave presentations to showcase and explain the progress made during the year, as well as outline future work. The event took place at the “Campillo de Julia“ estate, where the company and Cerberus partner “Naranjas del Carmen” has an intensive olive plantation. This year, smart traps were installed at this location, which could be visited during the sessions.
Strategic Planning and Progress Highlights
The event began with a detailed review of the progress achieved in 2024 and plans for 2025. “We are in the first year of the project, but we can already say that we have installed 31 smart traps and 35 conventional traps in the three countries that are part of Cerberus”, explained the project coordinator and full-professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Francisco Rovira. “The project has a duration of four years, and the goal is to progress toward the ultimate objective, which is to detect and control pests affecting olive trees, vineyards, and citrus crops early”, added Francisco Rovira.
Key updates included:
- Advancements in satellite-based stress detection for olives, citrus, and vineyards.
- Development of smart traps and monitoring robots designed to enhance pest control.
- The upcoming launch of citizen science activities, including bioblitzes, to involve communities in early pest detection.
These strategic sessions underscored CERBERUS’ commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology with sustainable agricultural practices.
Hands-On Field Sessions and Olive Oil Tasting
Participants had the opportunity to engage directly with CERBERUS technologies during field sessions, learning how to use insect traps and ground platforms for early pest monitoring. These practical demonstrations were accompanied by in-depth discussions on the integration of these tools into everyday farming practices.
An olive oil tasting session highlighted the cultural and economic importance of the crops protected by CERBERUS, giving attendees a tangible connection to the project’s goals.
Stakeholder Engagement and Technology Demonstrations
A key focus of the event was stakeholder involvement. Farmers and agricultural professionals explored how CERBERUS technologies, such as the Copernicus satellite system and smart sprayers, are driving eco-friendly innovation in pest control.
Field demonstrations brought these tools to life, showing how targeted solutions reduce chemical usage and improve crop health. A roundtable discussion allowed participants to share insights and feedback, fostering stronger ties between research and real-world applications.
Empowering Communities Through Citizen Science
The Agronomy Days culminated in a forum dedicated to citizen participation, a cornerstone of CERBERUS’ approach to sustainable agriculture. Attendees received training in pest identification and learned how to use traps and platforms effectively. The session also introduced the CERBERUS Digital Platform, which facilitates seamless data sharing between citizens and researchers.
“The information provided by the Copernicus satellite system is very good, but in practice it is not accessible to the sector, and our goal is to make it simpler and provide the information directly to the farmer,” explained Rovira. “Here we have shown the progress we are making on our platform, and the ultimate goal is that with all the information we obtain from the smart traps and ground robots, prescription maps can be generated automatically,” added Francisco Rovira.
By empowering local communities to play an active role in pest monitoring, CERBERUS is building a collaborative network that bridges the gap between science and practice.
Throughout these four days, partners, the advisory board, farmers, companies, and cooperatives have been able to learn about the evolution of the project, but most importantly, they have been able to share their opinions and highlight aspects of the project that could be improved. “We must not forget that these projects are created to solve a problem in the sector, and we are interested in the feedback we can receive from them. We are in the first year, and we are still in time to steer the project toward the needs the sector may have,” concluded Rovira.
