The Project

The adoption of specific Deficit Irrigation strategies as well as a better soil management increasing the soil water holding capacity will allow an increase in water use efficiency and irrigation saving up to 30% without drawbacks in terms of productivity as demonstrated by the application of deficit irrigation strategies in several environments. A better management of the water resource at farm level can lead up to a significant reduction of the water required for irrigation at district level, providing more of this resource to other sectors of society (e.g. civil uses, industry). A better water management at irrigation district level will contribute to safeguarding natural resources, especially ground water for future generations, particularly in low-water quality, water-scarce and drought-vulnerable areas. The improved functional soil biodiversity coupled with cover crops will increase the orchard carbon sequestration through improved soil organic matter accumulation in the soil as well as reduced CO2 and NO2 emissions. 

The new DREAM agroecosystem will be more resilient to extreme weather events thanks to its scalar vegetative cycles. This is a key feature for several reasons: the increased damages due to recent late frost events (spring 2018, spring 2020, spring, 2021) led to severe losses (up to 80%) in many fruit crops, with no effective solution available. We expect that in case of a late frost event 3/4 of the DREAM production will face only minor damages. In addition, in case of heat waves and prolonged water scarcity which is widely impacting southern latitudes, 1/3 of the production (late harvest varieties) might be able to recover in the fall. A late hail-storm event may save the early varieties representing 1/3 of the total, while the selection of varieties with natural resistances will limit the population growth of pest and disease incidence. Furthermore, the DREAM agroecosystem will provide a number of different ecosystem services such as biological pest control and pollination; biodiversity conservation; orchard land stewardship even in conditions of climate change .

Varieties ripening at different times during the season will improve the management and organization potential of small-holding farms. This will improve harvest management, thus limiting fruit waste to minimum levels. The development of ad-hoc marketing strategies such as local markets will optimize post-harvest management and reduce the time lapse from producer to consumer, thus reducing losses due to post-harvest disorders. Furthermore, the application of ad-hoc deficit irrigation protocols together with a proper soil management are expected to save water by reducing the irrigation needs by at least 30%. 

The selection of resistant fruit varieties along with the implementation of cover crops and sustainable soil management and irrigation will allow: i) improved above and belowground functional biodiversity that will enhance ecosystem services (pollination, pest control and soil fertility) over time; ii) a 40-80% reduction in the chemicals to control pest and disease at the end of the four-year project; iii) doubling the populations of pollinating insects and enhance pollination service; iv) a 60% to 80% reduction in the use of mineral fertilisers with consequent reduction in leaching; iv) increased product safety and healthiness thanks to natural resistances and the IPPM approach. Furthermore, the living mulch will promote the recirculation of nutrients at soil level, benefitting from the interaction with mycorrhiza and rhizobacteria, this will improve water holding capacity and soil microbiome biodiversity in the soil thanks to increased content in soil organic matter.

WP4 will be dedicated to the development of new marketing strategies for the DREAM products, including specific certifications to valorize the high quality, low residues fruits in accordance with consumer expectations and acceptance. This will lead to increased market opportunities and economic independence for small holders, whose business generally depends just on bigger actors. DREAM will also: i) provide fruit growers and consultants with economically convenient and sustainable alternatives to conventional orchards; ii) reduce the use of agrochemicals and, thus, decreasing the direct application costs with positive impacts on the farm revenue. In addition, the DREAM system will widen the range of products during the season, thus reducing the risk of failure due to extreme climatic events thus allowing more stable incomes for growers and the economic sustainability of smallholder farming.

The DREAM agroecosystem can represent a very useful tool to favour women empreneurship in agriculture. In fact, being particularly suited to small farms, it can be easily managed at family level, thus facilitating women involvement and independence, especially in less developed countries. Besides, local living labs will represent lively networks to promote the training and growth of young farmers, women and consumers through regular meetings, seminars, workshops and peer exchanges to address local problems and favor resource exchanges.

Specific niche products, with high quality (improved dry matter content, taste and nutraceutical value) will be produced thanks to the valorization of old varieties and the correct application of RDI strategies that, beside saving water, can lead to 2-3% increases in fruit dry matter content, with no negative impacts on yields. Features that are also related to longer storage potential and higher consumer acceptance. Thanks to its sustainable approach DREAM will also secure the supply of healthy food such as fruit to Mediterranean consumers. Specific market studies will be carried out to identify the best certification strategies to promote the added value of the DREAM fruit. In cooperation with local living labs, ad-hoc activities in schools and local markets will be organized to engage consumers and promote the consumption of sustainable healthy fruit and the adoption of the DREAM approach.

The DREAM approach represents an alternative, diversified and new production model. It will offer: i) an innovative profitable and resilient cultivation alternative to face the current challenges related to climate change of growers affected by scarce revenues or biotic and abiotic stressors; ii) an alternative set of products to create new market opportunities to distributors and retailers; iii) a diverse set of products with high taste and nutritional value to consumers. This will allow the agricultural sector to make a step forward from traditional production schemes while providing an innovative approach to face the many challenges laying ahead such as the increase of global food demand under climate change pressure. KPIs: 1) Number of stakeholders (growers, cooperatives etc ) reached by DREAM.

The DREAM products will create new market opportunities for: i) growers and local sellers, through local markets and the valorization of local high value products; ii) large sellers and retailers thanks to their diversification and high quality standards compared to traditional fruit, with the possibility to develop new specific marketing brands and channels, with potential higher prices due to their higher intrinsic value. Besides, the low-input and environmental-friendly approaches adopted in the production chain (i.e. low water, carbon and chemical footprints) may be exploited as added values in the commercial chain and valued thanks to specific brands.

Beside its agronomical value, the DREAM agroecosystems will be an ideal educational tool for students, families and the society in general, giving them the possibility to learn some basic principles related to agricultural sustainability, biodiversity, ecosystem services and as well as beekeeping and healthy fruit production. This will raise awareness on the main environmental issues we are all facing and on the need to find sustainable solutions. The organization of “educational open days” might represent a further opportunity for growers to widen the services offered by their farm.

The coexistence of orchards and natural landscapes often represents the backgrounds of many environmentally gifted regions in the Mediterranean basin. The sustainable DREAM approach will make these landscapes more resilient to climate change thus contributing to well-being and to the tourist industry. The DREAM resilient strategy will provide protection to the environment from losses due to meteorological and climatic factors, contributing to reducing the effects of extreme environmental hazards, such as erosion, flooding, etc.

DREAM will provide consumers with a range of diversified healthy products, with increased nutritional value and taste. Local old varieties have often an improved composition of beneficial metabolites with a role against multiple-stresses compared to commercial cultivars. Moreover, moderate drought stress often increases nutraceutical components presence, improving also fruit sensory profile