Farming robots and gardens for everyone at the first Ciência Viva Farm
Accessible gardens, robotic plots, drones that monitor the state of harvests, sensors that collect data in real time... The Ciência Viva Farm of Cherries and Ideas (Quinta Ciência Viva das Cerejas e das Ideias) has cherries but also has science, technology, and innovation. As of now, it is open to the public and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday.
The first space in the Network of Ciência Viva Farms opened its doors in Fundão, and what other protagonist could there be other than cherries? The result of a partnership between the city council of Fundão, the Ciência Viva - National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture and Gardunha21, the Ciência Viva Farm of Cherries and Ideas, highlights the value and explores many potential uses of Fundão cherries.
Besides this farm, there are in development more 23 projects that transform national products, like Rocha pears, camellias, insects, or fresh herbs, into meeting points between tradition and innovation. In a joint effort between farmers, producers, the local community, researchers, business owners and entrepreneurs, the Ciência Viva farms combine the atmosphere of a science center, with exhibition areas and interactive models, with the experience of agricultural production farms.
"This is a magnificent, highly innovative project. I must say, even though Ciência Viva is an integral part of the work that happens in these Farms", says Rosalia Vargas, President of Ciência Viva. "This is a project with strong local roots in the local community and attracts high-quality scientific tourism. We want people to realize that agriculture is something of the future, something that we need to take care of in the present", she adds.
In Fundão, cherries are like ideas… there are many of them and we need to take advantage of it. It's with this motto that drives the first Ciência Viva Farm to open its doors to the public. This open-air laboratory has several features: outdoor models, highlighted by the pendulum of 16 giant cherries that "dance" to the rhythm of the laws of physics, and an exhibition area, currently under development, where it is already possible to visit the "Seeing the Invisible" room, which function as a kind of command center for the cherry orchard. The indoor exhibition area will include a central module that establishes the analogy between a cherry factory and cherry tree: the water withdrawal systems are the roots, the solar panels are the leaves, and the nutrient collection channel is the log.
"The Ciência Viva Farm of Cherries and Ideas is an invitation to get to learn about all of the agriculture branches and what is being developed, in terms of innovation and research and in the cherry production sector in Fundão", explains Sandra Soares, coordinator of the Network of Ciência Viva Farms. In the experimental cherry orchards, visitors learn about the technology that allows more sustainable production, predictive and resilient to the climate changes. Robots, drones that assist with sprinkler irrigation and monitor the field, sensors collect data such as soil moisture and air temperature, and elevated and sensory gardens show that agriculture is the future… for everyone.
"This farm represents a new culture that values the role of farmers and leads us to think about a collective approach to building the world, where the fair and sustainable value of agricultural goods is unequivocal", says Paulo Fernandes Mayor of Fundão.
Lara Faria is a student at the Fundão Secondary school and, contradicting recent data showing young people's lack of interest in the Agronomy and Agricultural Science, she sees the potential and the importance of a project like the Ciência Viva Farms. "This Farm is a safeguard for our forests, that in this year, suffer a lot with the fires. Here, our harvests are welcomed and used to their full potential… it´s a world of science!"
It's fair to say that this inauguration was really the cherry on top!