The advantages of variable nitrogen supply to maize and the role of GAIA EPICHEIREIN in the KAL.LI.S.TI Operational Team’s project

Innovation in agriculture is a necessary step towards enhancing productivity and sustainability. GAIA EPICHEIREIN, with extensive experience in managing agricultural projects and a commitment to promoting cutting-edge technologies, participates in the KAL.LI.S.TI Operational Team’s project, which concerns site-specific fertilisation of maize with variable nitrogen supply technology. 

The project aims to highlight the advantages of a robotic system for providing spatially variable nitrogen supply in maize cultivation. Environmental protection and resource efficiency are key parameters in the design and operation of the system, which is adapted to the specific needs of each field, with the ultimate goal of improving crop yields. 

The members of the team are the Goulandris Natural History Museum, ELGO-DIMITRA’s Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, GAIA EPICHEIREIN, the THESGI cooperative, and PRO DEPOT, a technology company.  The project is being implemented in the framework of Measure 16 “Cooperation” of the CAP 2014-2020.

GAIA EPICHEIREIN’s participation in the KAL.LI.S.TI operational team began in 2018, at the initiative of Dr. Stamatis Stamatiadis, director of the Soil Ecology Laboratory of the Goulandris Natural History Museum and project coordinator, who sought the company’s know-how in order to promote the programme. Our team adopted the initiative enthusiastically due to our strategic focus on innovation and collaboration. 

Through its participation in national and European programmes, GAIA EPICHEIREIN supports actions for environmentally friendly and efficient practices in the primary sector and strengthens cooperation in rural communities. This action is based on site-specific fertilisation technology, which enables precise and flexible use of nitrogen, avoiding waste and protecting the environment. Through continuous communication and open exchange of experiences, the KAL.LI.S.TI operational team provides support to the farmers and agronomists of the THESGI cooperative, answering questions and providing guidance. Dr. Stamatiadis and Dr. Lefteris Evangelou, executive researcher at ELGO-DIMITRA’s Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, in collaboration with PRO DEPOT, offer technical support for the installation and maintenance of the site-specific fertilisation system, bolstering producers’ trust in innovation.

At the same time, GAIA EPICHEIREIN develops educational programmes and materials that make the technology accessible and understandable to farmers. It aims to clarify the advantages of site-specific fertilisation and show the economic benefits of technology through examples. 

A recent workshop at the THESGI cooperative brought together producers participating in the pilot project with new interested parties, providing an opportunity for the presentation of the results and benefits arising from the application of this technology. The interest shown in the technology was high, as was clear from the dialogue between the participants at the end of the conference.

To raise public awareness of the environmental benefits of site-specific fertilisation, GAIA EPICHEIREIN and KAL.LI.S.TI organise thematic workshops, educational initiatives, online briefings, and visits to rural areas. Their goal is to encourage producers to adopt environmentally friendly practices that are in line with the objectives of Measure 16 for climate change and sustainable agriculture. The briefing – designed to promote change – includes success stories and specific examples from the application of the technology.

Despite the positive outlook, the diffusion of innovation on a broader scale faces a number of challenges. Farmers are often concerned about the cost and complexity of new technologies, which makes them reluctant to abandon traditional methods. Site-specific fertilisation technology, however, has been designed to be affordable and easy to apply, and the scientific team continues to develop ways to facilitate its use. The goal is to make this technology sustainable and adapted to the needs of small farms in Greece.

GAIA EPICHEIREIN is committed to promoting such innovative solutions and strengthening the rural community, highlighting the importance of cooperation, technological progress and environmental responsibility for the future of Greek agriculture.