Monitoring agricultural pests has always been a complex and demanding task. Traditionally, farmers and technicians must visit fields regularly to inspect traps, identify insects and estimate pest populations. These visits are time-consuming and costly, and they only provide a partial picture of what is happening in the crop.
Project CERBERUS aims to change this paradigm completely.
The project has developed a cloud-based crop surveillance platform designed specifically for Mediterranean agriculture. By combining multiple sources of data and artificial intelligence, the CERBERUS platform helps farmers monitor crop health, detect pest risks earlier and apply treatments more efficiently.
The system is part of the broader digital crop protection strategy described in the CERBERUS concept, which integrates monitoring technologies, data analytics and precision agriculture tools to improve pest management in vineyards, olive groves and citrus orchards.
What makes the CERBERUS platform unique?
At the heart of the project lies an advanced digital platform capable of integrating several layers of information using artificial intelligence algorithms.
Instead of relying on a single source of data, the system combines information from three complementary perspectives.
Large-scale observation
The platform uses satellite imagery from programmes such as Copernicus Sentinel to monitor crop conditions across large agricultural areas.
These images allow the system to detect signals of crop stress that may indicate emerging problems such as pest pressure, water stress or plant health issues.
For farmers and agronomists, this means gaining a broader view of crop conditions beyond individual field observations.
Ground-level sensors and smart traps
Satellite data are complemented by high-resolution information collected directly in the field.
CERBERUS integrates smart traps for insect monitoring, robotic technologies and other sensors capable of capturing detailed information about pest populations and crop conditions.
These tools provide the system with real-time signals about insect activity, helping identify potential pest outbreaks earlier than traditional monitoring methods.
Many of these technologies are currently being tested and validated across the network of CERBERUS pilot sites, where vineyards, olive groves and citrus orchards serve as real-life laboratories for digital crop protection.
Citizen science and farmer-generated data
Another distinctive feature of the CERBERUS platform is the integration of citizen science.
Farmers and other stakeholders can contribute data directly to the platform, enriching the monitoring network and improving the accuracy of pest detection models.
By combining satellite observations, field sensors and human input, the system creates a much richer understanding of crop health across entire agricultural regions.
From data to action: AI-powered pest risk maps
Collecting data is only the first step. The real value of the CERBERUS platform lies in its ability to transform data into actionable insights.
Artificial intelligence algorithms analyse the incoming information and generate pest risk maps that highlight areas where threats are more likely to occur.
These maps allow farmers and agronomists to anticipate problems before visible damage appears in the crop.
The platform can also generate automated spraying prescriptions, guiding crop protection treatments so that interventions are applied only where they are needed.
This approach helps reduce unnecessary pesticide use while maintaining effective pest control, supporting more sustainable agricultural practices.
Ongoing research and technological validation are continuously documented through the project’s Results.
Learn to use the CERBERUS platform in minutes
To ensure that this innovation remains accessible and easy to use, the project has developed a series of short video tutorials designed to guide users through the main features of the platform.
Under the motto “Get value in 5 minutes”, these tutorials explain how farmers and technicians can quickly start using the system.
The current tutorial series covers several key functionalities of the platform:
Predict pest risks before damage appears
Learn how to anticipate potential threats using the platform’s risk maps and early warning alerts.
Control conventional traps without guesswork
Discover how the platform helps digitize and manage traditional insect traps more efficiently.
Monitor pests automatically, every day
Explore how the network of smart sensors provides daily updates on insect populations without requiring field visits.
Advanced analytics
Learn how to navigate the platform’s dashboards and interpret data to support strategic crop protection decisions.
Support for conventional spraying practices
Understand how the platform complements existing spraying workflows by providing better information for treatment timing.
Phenological status of crops
Discover how the system allows users to register and visualize the exact developmental stage of their crops.
A step toward precision agriculture
The CERBERUS platform represents an important step toward data-driven agriculture, where farmers can combine monitoring technologies, artificial intelligence and precision tools to manage crops more efficiently.
By bringing together satellite data, field sensors and farmer observations in a single platform, CERBERUS helps transform traditional pest monitoring into a continuous and intelligent crop surveillance system.
With these tools, the transition from conventional farming to precision crop management becomes faster, more accessible and more effective for Mediterranean agriculture.
