Smart-ET

As part of the EIT’s Crisis Response Initiative, this activity directly contributes to the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano production areas have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with disruption for both the supply and demand for food products.

In fact, at the start of the pandemic there was a rapid reduction in the consumption of dairy products, following the closure of the restaurants, which resulted in an increase in the surplus of milk and processed products.

Based on historical data and data collected during COVID-19 pandemic from farms and dairies, SMART-ET is developing digital systems to predict changes in dairy production and market feed costs. This is helping to:

• reorganise dairy production and supply quickly and efficiently during pandemic events or similar market crises;
• satisfy local demand by increasing interaction and sharing of information between consumers and producers.

The implementation of digital systems developed by SMART-ET:

• improve the use of local food resources;
• improve farms’ business resilience;
• help dairy farms make quick decisions;
• improve the circular economy;
• encourage the development and application of digital tools, in other Italian or European agri-food chains.

Project update

SMART-ET has developed an innovative digital tool, named GranaCheese, to connect milk and cheese producers simultaneously. The tool predicts the variation in milk production and in market feed costs based on COVID-19 farm data and existing models, also enhancing the use of local by-products for animal feeding.

SMART-ET has also developed a non-commercial App, called Smart Cheese, for cheese consumers to connect local demand with stock variation predicted during the COVID-19 pandemic. These tools are also designed to be used for other future emergencies.