Looking back at the clustering event, organised by NEXTGENBIOPEST

On March 17th, EUFAWREADY joined experts from across Europe for a webinar to present how digital tools and nature-based solutions are contributing to a healthier environment. Each of the projects shared its research and innovations in the field of integrated pest management.

The FORSAID project is leading the way in forest protection. By using satellites, drones, and AI-powered tools like the "Entomoscope", they can identify invasive pests directly from photos. This allows forest managers to act before an infestation occurs.

Syberac aims to transition from siloed chemical risk assessment to a holistic, system-based environmental risk assessment by considering chemicals’ integrated impact on ecosystems. 

NEXTGENBIOPEST is developing new biological alternatives to fight pests like mites and thrips. The project has launched a mobile app, the "NextGenBioPest Pest Detector", which helps farmers and agricultural professionals quickly identify plant diseases in grape crops.

The Sagropia project shared results from its field trials in potato and sugar beet farming, noting that it is possible to reduce chemical use by 50% while maintaining stable yields and high quality. Thus, demonstrating that sustainable pest management is commercially viable.

Our project highlighted the importance of being prepared to avoid outbreaks and manage the Fall Armyworm (FAW) as soon as a single one is spotted. We mentioned the projects’ three pillars:

1. Learn - generating knowledge on the biology and adaptability of the FAW is essential for risk assessment, as well as the development of control strategies.

2. Detect - improving early FAW detection by integrating AI, optimising monitoring strategies, and testing out new tools.

3. Manage - identifying effective natural FAW-enemies and testing biocontrol methods to then compile an integrated pest management (IPM) toolbox.

PATAFEST is focusing on keeping potatoes healthy from the soil to the shelf. During the webinar, they highlighted their progress on adopting AI algorithms for early detection and on identifying disease-resistant genes for the development of targeted solutions.

SAFWA shared how to get the best results from nature-based tools. They emphasised that biopesticides work best when farmers have been trained. To support this, the project organises workshops and creates guides to help landowners move away from unsustainable chemical solutions.

This collaborative event highlighted that the future of pest management is not only about finding new tools, but about working together across different sectors. By combining AI, nature, and policy, the projects are transforming the current siloed system into an integrated one.

Keep an eye out for more EUFAWREADY updates here and on our socials.