Effective approaches for technology and innovation transfer to SMEs

Growing tomatoes with help of nature

dr. Janko RODEAleš TOLAR

Chamber of agriculture and forestry of Slovenia

DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOOD PRACTICE GENERAL DESCRIPTION

• Conventional greenhouse production• high demand for energy (oil, natural

gas…)• high demant for fertilizers and pesticides• low sustainability, high carbon footprint• the worst cases threat for ground water,

ecosystem degradation by building infrastructure

• Threat for human health (growers, consumers)

• Search for sustainable practices in greeenhouse vegetable production

• Construction optimized for best effects

• Use of polinators • Minimizing use of pesticides

(predators)• Use of rainwater and reuse of

irrigation water• Use of renevable energy sources

(solar, geothermal)

Potential in Slovenia• Only 0,03% of arable land covered

production• Growing problems with weather extremes• Low competivness of veg. production• High potential for use of geothermal

energy• Prekmurje agriculturaland geothermal region

Technique used in PARADAJZ LTD• Rainwater for irrigation, • 20% of water recycled,• Geothermal for heating. • water, climate,fertilizers controlled by computer • organic substrate (recycling)• natural predators • disease control -climate• Polinators – bumblebees

Results• 4 ha of greenhouses ( +2 in

construction)• 2000 tonnes of production ( up to

3500 t)• Exclusive sale, good price• Active promotion and corporate

image

Innovation• Innovative way of coupling high

technology of greenhouse production and use of renevable resources:

• Rainwater – up to 70 % of needed water• Geothermal energy for heating - use

of hot water from the bore on site, – Heat exchanger– Heat pumps

• Substrate reuse – cmopost or biogas production

Beneficiaries• SMEs from sector of vegetable production• SMEs in regions with high geothermal

potential• SMEs with small production surfaces• Inerest /need for greenhouse production

is growing

• Exact number not assesed yet

Consequences• Production is environmental friendly

and sustainable• Low interference with the soil on site • No interference with ground (thermal)

water • Low possibility of environmental

pollution • No cummulation in plants or their

products. • Lower carbon footprint during lifecycle

compared to conventional greenhouse• Low health hazard for producersand

consumers

Transfer of innovation• Company is ready to transfer the know-

how

• selection of technology• coupling geothermal technology and

technology of greenhouse production, • building capacities for greenhouse

production,• choosing right varieties, seeds or

seedlings or• consulting in production process and

logistic• onsite training in production

technologies to interested people.

Sources of know-how• Constant training in the vision od

company• Cooperation with producers abroad• Membership in exclusive study clubs• Testing tecnhology in real conditions • Proven technologies/innovations

introduced in production• Presentation of results on congresses,

expert meetings• Practice can be transferred to regions

of high geotermal potential

Accsessibilty• Consulting trough direct contact with

interested customer (SMEs)

• Conditions and sosts agreed by customers (trade secret) and depend on the type of colaboration

Conditions for application

• SMEs wanting to apply technology have to have experts with certain experience and basic knowledge of agriculture, energetic and glasshouse management.

Obstacles & Success Factors • Legislative framework• Constantly changing regulations• Searching for investments to apply to PRD

measures (1.2.1.)• Seriousness of potential beneficiaries• Small domestic market of Slovenia

To overcome the obstacles

• Active cooperation with decision makers to ease administrativbe procedures

• Applying to different tenders (PRD, start-up,…)

• Active search for investros• Assession of potential partners

(customers)• Adaptibility in terms of (co)financing the

technology transfer

Success factors facilitating innovation transfer • Growing awareness about more

sustainable agricultural practices with less impact to environment and humans.

• Use of local resources of renevable energy

• Production of high quality table tomatoes (vegetables)

• Low carbon dioxide footprint• Possibility of use of innovative technology

in horticulture (vegetable production)• Avoiding problems with weather

extremes connected to climate changes

TRANSFER OF THE PRACTICE • Aplicable in all regions with high

geothermal potential and tradition of vegetable growing

Thank you for your attention