Agriculture is a sector undergoing significant changes. The demands arising from climate changes, transformations in dietary habits, and the need to have less impact on land use and the environment pose new challenges that will find solutions in the future, thanks in part to new generations. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important to invest in the training of future agricultural entrepreneurs, starting from the world of education.
The Presence of Idromeccanica Lucchini in Training
Over the years, Idromeccanica Lucchini has collaborated with research institutes and universities, both Italian and foreign, to find new technical and engineering solutions for their greenhouse systems. In 2023, thanks to a grant funded by the Italian State, the company was able to initiate a collaboration with a technical high school institute for the creation of new educational facilities for agriculture.
The Riva Institute of Sarnico
The project, which involved the Riva Institute of Sarnico, included the construction of a modular greenhouse with plastic film covering. The structure, which was designed to be solid and safe, thus ensuring the highest standards for teachers and students, is equipped with a soilless system, an ebb and flow irrigation system, and an automated climate control system.
In order to provide a flexible and educational tool, the greenhouse was built with simple technologies, yet sufficiently advanced to help students understand soilless cultivation techniques. The mobile benches, which allow experimentation with different crops and processing strategies, were created with an ethical concept of circular economies, aiming to reduce waste and thus transmit this value to future generations of entrepreneurs.
Why the Riva Institute
The project aimed to train new generations of farmers, providing them with the necessary skills to use innovative technologies and respond to the threats of climate change. For Idromeccanica Lucchini, this was an interesting challenge as the technical institute represents a type of “hybrid” client, requiring simple, inexpensive solutions that are simultaneously safe, flexible, and high-tech. The experience gained by the company at the Riva Institute has provided Idromeccanica Lucchini with new knowledge in a previously unexplored field. In addition to hardware and software, Idromeccanica Lucchini also provided its know-how to train technical and teaching staff in the use of equipment and greenhouses.
Conclusion
Idromeccanica Lucchini’s initiative is a virtuous example of how companies can contribute to the training of young people and the future of the country. The project has provided students with the necessary skills to face future challenges, contributing to creating a new generation of more efficient and sustainable farmers.
