On 8 November, the certificate award ceremony  of the second edition of the ‘Advanced Specialised Course: Precision Agriculture for the Mediterranean Region,’ organised by CIHEAM Bari, took place in Bologna, hosted by EIMA, the leading international  exhibition for the agricultural mechanisation industry.

The event marked a significant milestone for the 13 participants coming from Mediterranean, African, and Balkan countries, as they had the opportunity to interact with the experts from the companies involved in the course. They were able to explore  technological innovations showcased by other companies, particularly within the EIMA Digital Area, further expanding the knowledge already acquired throughout the programme.

The ceremony was opened by Mariateresa Maschio, President of FederUnacoma, and Biagio Di Terlizzi, Deputy Director of CIHEAM Bari, who emphasised the valuable collaboration between the two organisations, which was crucial to the success of the course.

Anna Maria D'Onghia, joined by tutors Stefania Gualano and Paolo Fiume, outlined the course objectives and programme. She introduced the three working groups from the second edition, who provided an overview of the concept notes they developed during the course. These notes reflected the knowledge they had gained by exploring cutting-edge "AgriDigital" solutions designed to optimise agricultural management and enhance production efficiency.

• Smart crop mapping for precise agricultural data by the working group “Balkans” (Bosnia, Kosovo, North Macedonia)
• Use of precision agriculture in crop systems for sustainable intensification, enhancing water use and soil fertility, in the MENA region by the “MENA” working group (Algeria Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia)
• Adoption of integrated weather stations and Decision Support Systems (DSS) to enhance agricultural productivity in East Africa by the working group “East Africa” (Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda).

The presentation of the concept notes was the highlight of the ceremony, allowing participants to share their vision for advancing Precision Agriculture in their respective countries. Their approaches emphasised not only technological innovation but also the sustainability of these technologies within their local contexts, the importance of conducting research prior to up-scale, and the creative need to tailor existing technologies to better address specific local requirements.

The event wrapped up with the students receiving their certificate and a family photo taken with the experts attending the fair, whose significant support contributed greatly to the success of the course.

A sincere thank you goes to everyone who helped make the course a remarkable achievement. In particular, we extend our deepest gratitude to Fabio Ricci and Alessio Bolognesi of FederUnacoma for their invaluable contributions—not only to the programme, but, above all, to the organisation of the certificate award ceremony in Bologna, in the internationally renowned setting of EIMA.