Researcher Diego Fernández, a member of the EphysLab group at the Marine Research Centre (CIM) of the Universidade de Vigo, will lead a project to develop a digital tool for predicting agroclimatic risks that will help the agricultural sector optimise decision-making. The initiative was one of five selected under the Campus Auga Programme for the Promotion of Knowledge Valorisation and Transfer, funded within the framework of the agreement between the Regional Ministry of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training and the Universidade de Vigo for the development of strategic actions at Campus Auga (2024-2027).
The project, entitled Agroclimatic risk prediction tool for optimising agricultural production: validation and transfer, aims to launch a digital decision-support service for farmers, cooperatives and technical staff.
“The tool will combine high-resolution weather forecasts, probabilistic ensembles and artificial intelligence techniques to predict, several weeks in advance, both crop development and ripening and the occurrence of adverse agroclimatic conditions that may favour the emergence of diseases or stress conditions,” explains Diego Fernández.
In an initial phase, the solution will focus on two strategic sectors in the province of Ourense: potato growing and the wine sector. The project will make it possible to validate the tool in real-world environments and adapt it to the needs of its end users, with the aim of providing practical information that facilitates the planning of agricultural activities, reduces losses and promotes more efficient use of water and phytosanitary treatments.
According to the CIM researcher, this initiative will contribute to progress towards “more efficient, sustainable and resilient” agriculture by combining advanced weather forecasting and artificial intelligence.
Five projects to promote knowledge transfer
The project led by Diego Fernández is one of five beneficiaries of the Campus Auga call, which was created to support initiatives with commercialisation potential and market impact and to promote the transfer of knowledge generated at the university to society.
The following projects also received funding in this edition:
- María Luisa Rúa (TEZE group), to scale up the production of xylan and prebiotics obtained from macroalgae for food applications.
- Ana María Torrado (TEZE group), to advance the regulatory validation of a food ingredient rich in xylo-oligosaccharides obtained from wheat straw.
- Helena Raquel dos Santos Fernandes (BiotecnIA), to assess the commercial potential of an edible biofilm made from insect-derived chitosan using sustainable technologies.
- Pedro Miguel Ferreira Santos (Bio2Val), to develop a functional flour made from red grape pomace from the Ribeiro Designation of Origin for the production of healthier breads and biscuits.
Through this call, Campus Auga strengthens its commitment to enhancing the value of research results and transferring them to the productive sector, promoting innovative solutions with economic, social and environmental impact.
The CIM holds the Cigus recognition awarded by the Xunta de Galicia, which certifies the quality and impact of its research, and its activities are co-funded by the European Union through the ERDF 2021-2027 programme.
