Technologies and connections for digital agriculture

From smart greenhouses and digital twins to artificial intelligence and agricultural robotics, the transformation of the agri-food sector is increasingly being driven by the convergence of technology, research, and real-world needs. Synergy Days Italia grew out of this need for dialogue: a two-day event designed to bring together companies, institutions, research centers, and stakeholders from across the agri-food supply chain.

Held on September 3 and 4 at the Department of Agriculture of the University of Naples Federico II, the event brought a format already well established at the European level to Italy for the first time. Its goal was to share results, identify needs and priorities, and build new connections between those developing innovative solutions and those responsible for putting them into practice.

The Italian edition, held with the support of Fondazione Bruno Kessler, was organized by agrifoodTEF, Schuttelaar & Partners International, the University of Naples Federico II, Trust-IT Services, and Coldiretti. Partners also included IT4LIA AI Factory, Diagram Group, Food Metaverse, Agritech Center, CNR, and Hispatec Italia.

“The goal is to bring together the various stakeholders, present the results of ongoing projects, and at the same time discuss the priorities that can guide future initiatives,” explained Raffaele Giaffreda, an FBK researcher and coordinator of agrifoodTEF, one of the event’s organizers.

The program combined plenary sessions, company and project presentations, demonstrations, and thematic workshops. Discussions focused on the role of data and artificial intelligence, emerging agricultural technologies, the green and digital transitions, and the relationship between available innovations and the needs of agricultural businesses.

FBK contributed to the event through its work within agrifoodTEF and IT4LIA AI Factory. Raffaele Giaffreda and Fabio Antonelli took part in discussions on digital technologies for agriculture, while the workshop “The AI Factory IT4LIA Meets Companies” explored the opportunities that artificial intelligence can offer businesses in the sector. The FBK delegation in Naples also included Paola Baruchelli, Cristina Detassis, Mattia Antonini, Miguel Rodrigo Pincheira Caro, and Edoardo Corona.

From left: Edoardo Corona, Mattia Antonini, Paola Baruchelli, Raffaele Giaffreda, Fabio Antonelli, Cristina Detassis, and Miguel Rodrigo Pincheira Caro.

On the second day, the focus shifted directly to research facilities, with visits to ARCA—the Agritech Research Center Arena—and the laboratories of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Naples Federico II. Equipped greenhouses, monitoring systems, soilless cultivation technologies, and digital twins demonstrated how digitalization can be translated into hands-on experimentation.

The discussion will continue on October 20 and 21 in Kilkenny, Ireland, at Synergy Days 2026, the European event for digital innovators in the agri-food sector. AgrifoodTEF will also take part, contributing to workshops and discussions on digital solutions for the sector.

This transition from discussion to experimentation was one of the most significant themes to emerge from Synergy Days Italia. The digital transformation of agriculture depends not only on the availability of advanced technologies, but also on the ability to connect them with real-world needs, skills, and infrastructure—building stronger links among research organizations, businesses, institutions, and the agri-food supply chain.