OAA Rome visits the Padano Technology Park Rome Italy 8 8 2017
THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY
USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT
POLICY
Voluntary
- Public
Date: 4/3/2017
GAIN Report Number: IT1726
Italy
Post: Rome
OAA Rome visits the Padano Technology Park
Report Categories:
Biotechnology - GE Plants and Animals
Trip Report
Approved By:
Fred Giles
Prepared By:
Ornella Bettini
Report Highlights:
On January 24, 2017, OAA Rome paid a visit to the Padano Science and Technology Park (PTP) to
learn about the latest innovative agricultural research being conducted in Italy and to see advanced
agricultural technology being employed at the associated “Agriculture of Tomorrow” demonstration
field.
1
OAA Rome visits the Padano Technology Park
On January 24, 2017, OAA Rome paid a visit to the Padano Science and Technology Park (PTP) to
learn about the latest innovative agricultural research being conducted in Italy and to see advanced
agricultural technology being employed at the associated “Agriculture of Tomorrow” demonstration
field.
Fabrizio Trigila, PTP Business Incubator Project Manager welcomed the delegation and Alessandra
Stella, PTP Chief Scientific Officer presented an overview of the Park, a science and technology hub
operating for over 10 years in the fields of agriculture and food, bio-economy, and life sciences. PTP
cooperates with the faculties of veterinary medicine and agricultural science of the University of Milan,
and public and private research organizations located in Lodi, creating one of the main European centers
for agricultural technology. PTP has developed more than 90 national and international research and
development projects (including 11 draft genome sequences), provides services to over 150 companies,
and has created a network that extends to 40 countries, reaching more than 500 research institutions and
650 businesses. PTP also supports the creation of new enterprises through its incubator and business
accelerator Alimenta. There are approximately 46 new businesses currently supported by Alimenta.
Lorenzo Colombo, Chief Technical Officer of HYRIS Global Diagnostics presented his startup, a
leading Italian biotech company offering portable technologies performing real-time analysis of
biological samples on dedicated software platforms.
Davide Balbi, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Impatto Zero described his portable farms
aquaponics system, a carbon neutral and pesticide-free food production facility designed to use readily
available off-the-shelf equipment and materials to grow healthy green vegetables including tomatoes,
peppers, and cucumbers.
Cyril Alif, founder of Rescaype Italia introduced his start-up aimed at increasing agricultural
productivity and land quality through a water-soluble polymer soil conditioner (LA-MPAM).
Davide Ederle, PTP Core Facilities Project Manager introduced the “Agriculture of Tomorrow”
demonstration field, a 12,000 square meter (3 acres) area of PTP dedicated to displaying the most
advanced agricultural techniques. As food demand increases and land availability decreases, farmers
need to improve the efficiency of the process to obtain the maximum yield from every square meter.
The demonstration field includes corn, rice, soybean, sorghum, processing and fresh tomatoes, apple
orchards, strawberry, lupines, and other crops and reproduces sloped marginal lands characterized by
scarcity of water, lack of electricity, and poor availability of agricultural inputs. The demonstration
field aims at proving that even neglected areas can be turned into valuable crop fields. The core project
technology is irrigation efficiency through low-pressure drip lines connected to solar powered water
pumps. The field is the result of collaboration among the private sector, research community, and local
institutions.
2
USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT
POLICY
Voluntary
- Public
Date: 4/3/2017
GAIN Report Number: IT1726
Italy
Post: Rome
OAA Rome visits the Padano Technology Park
Report Categories:
Biotechnology - GE Plants and Animals
Trip Report
Approved By:
Fred Giles
Prepared By:
Ornella Bettini
Report Highlights:
On January 24, 2017, OAA Rome paid a visit to the Padano Science and Technology Park (PTP) to
learn about the latest innovative agricultural research being conducted in Italy and to see advanced
agricultural technology being employed at the associated “Agriculture of Tomorrow” demonstration
field.
1
OAA Rome visits the Padano Technology Park
On January 24, 2017, OAA Rome paid a visit to the Padano Science and Technology Park (PTP) to
learn about the latest innovative agricultural research being conducted in Italy and to see advanced
agricultural technology being employed at the associated “Agriculture of Tomorrow” demonstration
field.
Fabrizio Trigila, PTP Business Incubator Project Manager welcomed the delegation and Alessandra
Stella, PTP Chief Scientific Officer presented an overview of the Park, a science and technology hub
operating for over 10 years in the fields of agriculture and food, bio-economy, and life sciences. PTP
cooperates with the faculties of veterinary medicine and agricultural science of the University of Milan,
and public and private research organizations located in Lodi, creating one of the main European centers
for agricultural technology. PTP has developed more than 90 national and international research and
development projects (including 11 draft genome sequences), provides services to over 150 companies,
and has created a network that extends to 40 countries, reaching more than 500 research institutions and
650 businesses. PTP also supports the creation of new enterprises through its incubator and business
accelerator Alimenta. There are approximately 46 new businesses currently supported by Alimenta.
Lorenzo Colombo, Chief Technical Officer of HYRIS Global Diagnostics presented his startup, a
leading Italian biotech company offering portable technologies performing real-time analysis of
biological samples on dedicated software platforms.
Davide Balbi, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Impatto Zero described his portable farms
aquaponics system, a carbon neutral and pesticide-free food production facility designed to use readily
available off-the-shelf equipment and materials to grow healthy green vegetables including tomatoes,
peppers, and cucumbers.
Cyril Alif, founder of Rescaype Italia introduced his start-up aimed at increasing agricultural
productivity and land quality through a water-soluble polymer soil conditioner (LA-MPAM).
Davide Ederle, PTP Core Facilities Project Manager introduced the “Agriculture of Tomorrow”
demonstration field, a 12,000 square meter (3 acres) area of PTP dedicated to displaying the most
advanced agricultural techniques. As food demand increases and land availability decreases, farmers
need to improve the efficiency of the process to obtain the maximum yield from every square meter.
The demonstration field includes corn, rice, soybean, sorghum, processing and fresh tomatoes, apple
orchards, strawberry, lupines, and other crops and reproduces sloped marginal lands characterized by
scarcity of water, lack of electricity, and poor availability of agricultural inputs. The demonstration
field aims at proving that even neglected areas can be turned into valuable crop fields. The core project
technology is irrigation efficiency through low-pressure drip lines connected to solar powered water
pumps. The field is the result of collaboration among the private sector, research community, and local
institutions.
2