The University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest (USAMV Bucharest) strengthens its role as a leader in agricultural education and research through active involvement in the Romanian Precision Agriculture Consortium (RPAC), an initiative that brings together relevant partners from the fields of research, innovation, education and consultancy. By participating in this consortium, USAMV Bucharest contributes to the development and implementation of modern precision agriculture solutions, supporting the transfer of knowledge and technologies to the academic environment and the agricultural sector, in order to increase sustainability and performance in agriculture.
Data presented at the consortium’s launch show that adoption of these technologies can reduce crop protection costs by up to 20% and fertilization costs by around 15%, while contributing to increased productivity.
Currently, only a quarter of Romanian farms use digital tools, which indicates a significant potential for development. Through our involvement in RPAC, we aim to help expand the use of these solutions on a large scale through training, research and knowledge transfer to farmers and industry.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the launch of the consortium took place on Friday, April 24, followed by the first working meeting of the members. RPAC brings together relevant partners from the fields of research, innovation, education and consultancy: the National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnology – IMT Bucharest, the National Research and Development Institute for Machinery and Installations for Agriculture and the Food Industry – INMA Bucharest, the National Research and Development Institute for Food Bioresources – IBA Bucharest, the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest and PwC Romania.
The mission of the consortium is to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector in Romania by approximately 20%, by reducing losses, standardizing quality, optimizing production costs and ensuring the traceability of products from the farm to the consumer.
From our perspective, precision agriculture offers concrete solutions for the efficiency of the entire agri-food chain. This can reduce losses by 10–15% and input costs by up to 20–30%, helping to stabilize quality and create a more competitive and resilient food system.
“The university has an essential role in accelerating the adoption of precision agriculture, by training future specialists and by transferring research results to farmers. By getting involved in this consortium, we contribute directly to connecting innovation with the real needs in the field,” said Răzvan Ionuț Teodorescu, vice-rector of USAMV Bucharest.
At the same time, we are involved in supporting sustainable agriculture models, based on circular economy principles and aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Common Agricultural Policy.
Among the consortium’s strategic objectives is to attract national and European funding for projects worth approximately 30 million euros in the next 24 months.
A central element of the RPAC approach is the concept of the “Living Lab”, which we support through our academic and research expertise. It involves testing and implementing innovative solutions directly on farms, starting from the real needs of the sector, in order to accelerate the adoption of technologies.
The consortium’s initiatives aim at intelligent monitoring of farms through sensors and remote sensing, use of predictive analytics, development of modern irrigation solutions, soil health monitoring and efficient use of organic fertilizers. Reducing losses along the value chain and implementing full traceability systems, including through blockchain and QR codes, are also being considered. The digitization of agriculture will be supported by technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, satellite solutions and digital twin.
By participating in the Romanian Precision Agriculture Consortium, the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest reaffirms its role as an active actor in the modernization of Romanian agriculture, contributing to the development of a more productive, sustainable agricultural sector and better connected to current market requirements.
