SMARTFARM – ´Sustainable smart farming systems taking into account the future challenges´is a multidisciplinary R&D project coordinated by NPPC.

The project deals with the concept of so-called smart farming and agro-food production and is focused on the complex solutions for production systems with a particular emphasis on small and extensive farming, intensive primary production, conventional production and organic farming, including the finalisation of high value-added farming production.

The project is based on an effective partnership of 10 partners, active cooperation of research institutions, industry partners, universities and university science parks in 14 research activities (independent research and development, industrial research and experimental development).

The project vertically covers the agro-food production chain from resources to production – soil, plants, animals, food, biomass and will generate original scientific knowledge, innovative approaches and technological solutions potentially applicable in practice. The project is also aiming at providing advanced tools for creating “tailor made solutions”, strengthening the competitiveness of the agro-food sector in Slovakia in relation to European and global challenges, and has the ambition of helping to improve regional development.

The main activities of SMARTFARM:

Activity 1: Sustainable usage and optimisation of growing systems focusing on production and ecosystem functions of soil. (independent research and development)

Activity 2: Competitive sustainable plant production under the climate change conditions. (independent research and development)

Activity 3: Farming systems preserving biodiversity and mitigating the impacts of the climate change. (independent research and development)

Activity 4: Optimisation of methods of development new plant genotypes with added value. (applied research)

Activity 5:´Smart´ livestock farming systems (independent research and development)

Activity 6: Optimisation of beef production system on a mountain farm – pilot solution. (applied research)

Activity 7: Biotechnology and technological innovations in livestock farming. (independent research)

Activity 8: Bacterial pathogens and possibilities of their elimination in primary production (independent research and development)

Activity 9: Research and innovations in farm food production (independent research and development)

Activity 10: Molecular biology approach to increase the quality and safety of farm food production, (independent research)

Activity 11: Utilisation of low-potential heat to process the products from primary production. (applied research/experimental development)

Activity 12: Optimisation of farm meat processing processes (applied research)

Activity 13: Process optimisation of obtaining protein concentrates and oils from plant materials (applied research/experimental development)

Activity 14: Optimisation of growing, processing and harvesting and basic handling of specific crops for food and non-food purposes (applied research/ experimental development)