Impact

SmartProtect will take several measures in order to conserve the project’s results beyond the project period. More in particular, SmartProtect will closely cooperate with EURAKNOS, a TN that will connect all knowledge produced by TNs and formulate guidelines in order to ensure sustainability and make an EU wide agricultural knowledge base. In addition, the SmartProtect partners use their own dissemination channels at national and local level (website, newsletters, social media) and address their own target groups for transmitting the project information based on the project outcomes and beyond the project’s duration.

The SmartProtect project will collaborate with various growers’ associations, advisors and authorities across Europe to increase the sharing of information. The flow of practical innovation between farmers will be stimulated through peer to peer learning at participatory activities such as workshops and visits at demo sites at the regional innovation hubs and their participation in project workshops and events.

Farmers participating in the project’s activities will have the opportunity to give direct feedback (e.g. by evaluation forms) on questions such as what they have learned from it, how they think the proposed solutions could have an impact on their business, what they will do differently using practical tools that are provided by the project, which information they still need, which bottlenecks they have to tackle.

The SmartProtect project will also have a significant impact on the sustainability, competitiveness and economy of the European Agriculture. It contributes to further implementation of the European Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides, which forces the entire agricultural sector to produce under IPM conditions. An environmentally sustainable and healthier crop will eventually lead to a bigger confidence at the consumer level.