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ConnectFarms

CONNECTING SUSTAINABLE AGROECOSYSTEMS AND FARMING WITH CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

The editors acknowledge the financial support through the partners of the Joint Call of the

Cofund ERA-Nets SusCrop (Grant N° 771134), FACCE ERA-GAS (Grant N° 696356), ICT-AGRI-FOOD (Grant

N° 862665) and SusAn (Grant N° 696231).”

The project in brief

The ConnectFarms project will develop approaches to increase in a sustainable way integrated crop+livestock production while benefiting soil resilience to stress and climate change. A toolbox for farmers and stakeholders addressing crop+livestock integration, precise farming, organic amendments, reuse of residues in circular economy and sustainability improvements will be produced.


Recommendations for sustainable strategies leading to environmentally sound production in compliance with the Farm to Fork strategy will be given. New approaches based on science and nature-based solutions are needed to manipulate crops, livestock, soil and plant microbial communities to maximise positive ecological interactions and enhance ecosystem services.


The ConnectFarms concept is highly interdisciplinary and joins together expertise from many research fields, to achieve an integration of crop, livestock and ICT to obtain ecosystem services in agreement with the needs of sustainable agriculture. Partners will work in experimental sites in at least six countries - Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Poland, Lithuania. The focus aspects of the project will concern: agriculture and soil fertility – crop and livestock – amendments and biochar for soil health – welfare and sustainability for animals – precision farming – life cycle and ecosystem services assessment - stakeholder involvement. The ambition of the project is to contribute to innovative strategic food systems by targeting enhanced agricultural technology, food processing & preservation innovation, environmental issues, and ultimately human health.


ConnectFarms explores the interaction between arable crops, e.g. barley, and pulses with farm animals of high relevance, sheep and chicken. The connection is maintained through triangulation - crop becomes feed for animals, residues become amendments, amendments feed and boost crops and animals. Biochar is our keystone to improve both plant and animal farming in a circular economy approach.


The Consortium comprises 10 partners: one Interuniversity Consortium, 5 universities, and 4 research institutions, based in 7 countries. The project is highly interdisciplinary as it includes a) ecological and agronomic studies b) soil and crop management to improve diversity and functionality and c) studies of ecosystem services such as C sequestration, nutrient cycling, and pest control.

Main publications

  • Sierra, M.J., García-Montero, R., Rodríguez-Rastrero, M., & Millán, R. (2022).Comparison of the microbiome of calcareous and gypseous soils in rainfed field plots under Mediterranean climate. Revista de Ciencias Agrarias, 45(4), 230-233. https://doi.org/10.19084/rca.28411;
  • Kavaliauskas, A., Žydelis, R., Castaldi, F., Auškalnienė, O., & Povilaitis, V. (2023). Predicting Maize Theoretical Methane Yield in Combination with Ground and UAV Remote Data Using Machine Learning. Plants, 12(9), 1823–1823. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091823
  • ‌Ghizzoni, R., Morcia, C., Terzi, V., Gianinetti, A., & Baronchelli, M. (2022). Indirect Measurement of β-Glucan Content in Barley Grain with Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. Foods, 11(13), 1846–1846. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11131846

Seminars Conferences Workshops

  • IX Congreso Ibérico de Ciencia del Suelo. Oeiras (Lisboa). 22 - 24 June
  • Xornadas de celebración do Día Mundial do Solo 2022. Santiago de Compostela (Spain), 2nd December
  • EUBCE 2023 - 31st European Biomass Conference & Exhibition. Bologna (Italy), 5-8 June