A multi-stakeholder consortium and collaborative approach

The consortium brings together complementary areas of expertise: seven higher education institutions, five companies—including SMEs and large enterprises—and one leading research centre, spanning six European countries. The project is coordinated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Pisa.

AGRITECH EU at a glance

By the end of the four-year project, the ambition is to establish an “AGRITECH” community and a European pool of specialists capable of supporting the digital transformation of farms, agricultural cooperatives and agri-food businesses.

Technical proficiency alone is not enough. The challenge is to train specialists who can engage effectively with technology providers, assess the socio-economic and ethical implications of digital solutions, and promote the responsible and ethical adoption of digital technologies across agricultural systems.

A European training catalogue designed to strengthen national curricula

The main output of AGRITECH EU is a shared catalogue of advanced educational modules. These modules are designed to accommodate a variety of teaching and learning formats, including face-to-face and online courses, workshops, laboratory sessions, internships, summer schools and hackathons.

The catalogue covers the main technological building blocks of digital agriculture. These include data science and artificial intelligence, wireless communication networks, satellite technologies and 5G, as well as advanced computing technologies ranging from cloud computing to blockchain and cybersecurity.

It also addresses sensing technologies and connected devices, including drones, radio-frequency identification (RFID) and the Internet of Things (IoT), alongside their practical applications in agriculture, such as positioning through Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and blockchain-based traceability.

Robotics and automation are major areas of focus, encompassing robotic operations and automated greenhouse systems. The catalogue also covers the digital management of different agricultural production systems, including arable crops, fruit production, livestock farming and greenhouse cultivation.

A further component focuses on technology assessment, including the analysis of benefits, costs, social acceptability and ethical considerations, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship.

The modules are intended to be integrated into partner universities’ curricula, used to enrich existing Master’s programmes or offered as standalone courses accessible online.

In addition to developing educational content, the project promotes student and academic staff mobility and supports the development of joint degrees or qualifications recognised internationally.

L’Institut Agro Montpellier: a key contributor to the project

L’Institut Agro Montpellier’s main contribution to the European catalogue is the Data Manager for Agro-Environmental Projects programme, a Master’s-level specialisation delivered in Semester 8 and supported by the AgroTIC Chair and the Mas Numérique initiative.

The programme trains specialists in the management and exploitation of data generated by agricultural and environmental projects.

Through its integration into AGRITECH EU, students gain access to educational content developed by European partners and benefit from opportunities for international mobility.

The Montpellier-based team comprises nine academic staff members, primarily affiliated with two joint research units: Technologies and Methods for Tomorrow’s Agriculture (ITAP) and Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics for the Environment and Agronomy (MISTEA). Both units are part of the school’s Department of Agro-Bioprocess Sciences (SABP).

Philippe Vismara serves as the project’s local coordinator and the institutional contact at L’Institut Agro Montpellier.

The team involved includes Meïli Baragatti, Guilhem Brunel, Arnaud Ducanchez, Bénédicte Fontez, Hazaël Jones, Léo Pichon, Bruno Tisseyre and Martin Pount.

A commitment throughout the project lifecycle

The Montpellier team contributes to all four AGRITECH EU Work Packages, from strategic coordination to the dissemination of project results. Work Package 3, dedicated to the implementation of national training programmes between 2025 and 2027, represents a particularly intensive phase. All nine academic staff members involved in the project contribute to the operational implementation of the educational catalogue across partner universities.

By the end of the project in 2027, entire cohorts of specialists trained across Europe will be equipped to support farms and businesses in the agricultural sector as they navigate their digital transformation.

Co-funded by the European Union. Project No. 101123258.