Gennaro Di Prisco, a researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection of the CNR (IPSP-CNR) and Chair of the Bee Biology Commission od Apimondia, was invited as a keynote speaker at the SafeAgroBee PRIMA project Open Conference on the “Sustainability of Beekeeping in the Mediterranean Basin” in Athens (Greece), coordinated by Dr Fani Hatjina. The conference was organized by the Department of Apiculture – Institute of Animal Science – “ELGO – DIMITRA.” During his presentation, Di Prisco explained the goals of the ASTER project, emphasizing the importance of agroecology and functional biodiversity applied to crops such as tomatoes. He described the project’s deliverables, focusing on the interaction network between insect pollinators and plants in the context of climate change.
The ASTER project, coordinated by Dr Emilio Guerrieri (IPSP-CNR) aims to develop a management model for small tomato producers in the Mediterranean Basin, particularly targeting young farmers from poor Countries. This model is based on the application of key agroecological principles, including the protection and enhancement of functional biodiversity both above and belowground. The project intends to increase the ecosystem services, contributing to the sustainable control of major pests and pathogens, and to support circular economy to achieve “zero waste.
