AdvisoryNetPEST is a project funded by the Horizon Europe programme and the first to be coordinated by CONSULAI. Running until 2029, the project aims to strengthen EU technical advisory services and promote novel approaches that contribute to reducing the use and risks of pesticides, supporting the agricultural sector in achieving the objectives set out in the “Farm to Fork” strategy.

As part of the annual AdvisoryNetPEST meeting, consortium partners gathered from January 19 to 21 in Ghent, Belgium, to align priorities and define the strategies that will guide the project’s work throughout 2026.

In addition to coordination and planning activities, one of the most significant moments of the meeting was the technical visit to the Agrotopia greenhouse project, an internationally recognized European reference infrastructure in greenhouse horticulture research, innovation, and urban agriculture, developed by INAGRO, the research and advisory centre for agriculture and horticulture in the West Flanders region.

Agrotopia is an innovative research hub designed as a true living laboratory, where researchers, growers, technology partners, and other sector stakeholders collaborate in developing the greenhouse horticulture of the future.

Located on the rooftop of a building in Roeselare, Belgium, the Agrotopia greenhouse combines advanced cultivation technology with applied research, enabling the testing of new production methods tailored to urban contexts. Within this space, systems such as hydroponics and the integrated use of LED and natural lighting are developed and assessed, with the aim of maximizing plant growth and optimizing resource efficiency.

More than a space dedicated to growing vegetables, Agrotopia stands out as an infrastructure focused on research, demonstration, innovation, and collaboration, contributing to rethinking how food is produced in urban environments.

The visit to the Agrotopia greenhouse allowed AdvisoryNetPEST partners to engage closely with innovative approaches and best practices that reinforce the project’s ambition to promote more resilient, sustainable, and future-oriented agricultural systems.