How can Europe’s agri-food systems remain productive under growing pressure from climate change, water scarcity, and soil degradation? This question is increasingly shaping conversations across the FARMWISE project, and it was brought into sharp focus during a FARMWISE futures session hosted at MACFRUT, Italy’s leading international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector.
The session took place within the Acqua Campus – The Water Revolution area, a recognised hub for irrigation innovation and technology transfer, and marked FARMWISE’s first national foresight dialogue in Italy.
A shared space for dialogue on climate and water
Convened by Canale Emiliano Romagnolo (CER), which coordinates the Italian FARMWISE case study, the session brought together a diverse group of stakeholders including farmers, cooperatives, agro-industries, researchers, and public institutions. Participants included representatives from Ferrero HCO, COPROB – Italia Zuccheri, Orogel, Mutti, and the University of Bologna, reflecting the breadth of actors needed to address systemic challenges in agriculture.
Using interactive tools such as Mentimeter, participants explored future climate risks affecting agriculture, including drought, flooding, and declining soil fertility. These inputs fed directly into an open roundtable discussion on how technology, cooperation, and supply-chain agreements can strengthen resilience across regions and sectors.
As CER Chairperson Nicola Dalmonte noted during the discussion, the session highlighted both the urgency of the challenges ahead and the potential that exists when data, experience, and collaboration are brought together
From foresight to solutions
Discussions drew on concrete experiences from across the agri-food value chain. These included the impacts of climate stress on crops such as sugar beet, regional investments in horticultural resilience, and the role of supply-chain agreements in supporting price stability, innovation, and access to national and EU funding.
A recurring theme was the need for more integrated approaches to water management, combining water reuse, leak prevention, and digital irrigation networks. These priorities align closely with FARMWISE’s ambition to link data, decision-support tools, and governance across scales.
The session concluded with an on-site demonstration by CER and the University of Bologna, showcasing biosensors, nutrient monitoring technologies, and AI-supported water-management systems currently being tested and refined within the FARMWISE framework
Acqua Campus as a living showcase
Beyond the session itself, participants were able to explore the wider Acqua Campus exhibition area, which has become a benchmark for irrigation innovation in Europe. The interactive “Water Revolution” area brings together advanced irrigation systems, automation technologies, artificial intelligence, and sensor-based monitoring of soil, climate, and crop needs, all integrated into decision-support systems for precision agriculture.
By situating strategic dialogue alongside hands-on demonstrations, the MACFRUT setting reinforced a key FARMWISE message: future-oriented thinking is most effective when it is grounded in real technologies, real fields, and real operational constraints.
Why this matters for FARMWISE
The experience at MACFRUT and Acqua Campus continues to shape FARMWISE activities today. The foresight session format is now being adapted and replicated across other European case studies, contributing to a broader roadmap for climate-resilient and water-smart agriculture.
By connecting stakeholders, evidence, and innovation in a shared space, FARMWISE is helping turn future challenges into actionable strategies, supporting farmers, water managers, and policymakers as they navigate an increasingly complex agricultural landscape.
MACFRUT Fruit & Veg Professional Show takes place this year from Tuesday 21st to Thursday 23rd April 2026, Rimini – Expo Centre
