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MED-GOLD · Project

Climate Intelligence Platform Helping Wine, Olive Oil and Pasta Producers Cut Weather Risks

foodPilotedTRL 6
med-gold.eu

Imagine you run an olive grove or vineyard and every year you're basically guessing how the weather will affect your harvest. MED-GOLD built a digital platform that takes massive amounts of climate data and translates it into practical advice for growers and food companies working with grapes, olives, and durum wheat. Think of it like a weather-aware business advisor that helps you decide when to irrigate, when to harvest, and how to plan years ahead as climate patterns shift. The platform covers timescales from a few months out to decades, so it works for both this season's decisions and long-term investment planning.

By the numbers
3
Mediterranean crop systems covered (grapes, olives, durum wheat)
17
consortium partners
7
countries in the consortium
56
total project deliverables
7
industry partners in the consortium
2
SMEs in the consortium
41%
industry ratio in consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

Mediterranean food producers — wineries, olive oil mills, pasta manufacturers — face growing financial losses from unpredictable weather and shifting climate patterns. Traditional farming knowledge is becoming unreliable as seasons shift, and most producers lack the tools to turn climate data into practical business decisions. Without actionable climate intelligence, they are forced to react to crop failures instead of planning ahead.

The solution

What was built

The project built and deployed a complete ICT platform delivering tailored climate services for 3 Mediterranean crop systems: grapes, olives, and durum wheat. The platform translates climate data into decision-support tools covering timescales from seasonal forecasts (months) to long-term projections (decades), with 56 deliverables produced in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Wineries and vineyard operators planning irrigation and harvest timingOlive oil producers and cooperatives managing grove operations across variable seasonsPasta manufacturers and durum wheat traders managing supply chain riskAgricultural insurance companies pricing climate risk for Mediterranean cropsRegional agricultural agencies advising farmers on climate adaptation
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Wine production
any
Target: Wineries and vineyard operators across Mediterranean Europe

If you are a winery dealing with unpredictable harvests and shifting growing seasons — this project developed an ICT platform with climate services specifically for grape systems that helps you plan irrigation, harvest timing, and long-term vineyard investments using climate forecasts from months to decades ahead. The platform was built with 7 industry partners across 7 countries and tested on real Mediterranean crop systems.

Olive oil production
SME
Target: Olive oil producers and cooperative mills

If you are an olive oil producer facing rising costs from climate-driven crop failures and inconsistent yields — this project developed tailored climate services for olive crop systems, deployed through a dedicated ICT platform. With 17 consortium partners including 6 research organizations, the tool turns raw climate data into actionable decisions about grove management, pest risk, and production planning.

Pasta and grain processing
mid-size
Target: Durum wheat traders, pasta manufacturers, and grain cooperatives

If you are a pasta manufacturer or grain buyer struggling to secure consistent durum wheat quality as Mediterranean weather becomes less predictable — this project built climate intelligence tools specifically for durum wheat systems. The platform helps you anticipate supply disruptions, plan sourcing across 7 countries, and reduce procurement risk by acting on climate forecasts rather than reacting to crop failures.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license this climate platform?

The project did not publish pricing information. As an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action, the ICT platform was developed with public funding. Licensing or access terms would need to be discussed directly with the coordinator ENEA or the consortium partners.

Can this work at industrial scale across multiple regions?

The platform was designed and tested for 3 major Mediterranean crop systems (grapes, olives, durum wheat) across 7 countries. The consortium included 7 industry partners, suggesting the tools were validated against real commercial operations. The final release and deployment of the ICT platform indicate it moved beyond lab-scale.

Who owns the intellectual property?

IP is shared among the 17 consortium partners according to their EU grant agreement. ENEA, the Italian national energy and technology agency, coordinated the project. Any licensing arrangement would likely involve ENEA as the primary contact point.

Does this comply with EU agricultural and climate regulations?

The project was funded under the EU's Horizon 2020 SC5 topic on climate services, meaning it was designed to align with EU climate adaptation policies. The platform directly supports the goals of the EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy for climate-resilient agriculture.

How long would it take to integrate this into our operations?

The project ran from December 2017 to May 2022 and produced 56 deliverables including a fully deployed ICT platform. Based on available project data, the platform reached a deployment-ready state, but integration timelines would depend on your specific crop system and data infrastructure.

Is technical support available?

The consortium includes 6 research organizations and 7 industry partners. ENEA, a major Italian research agency, leads the project. Post-project support availability would need to be confirmed directly, but the strong institutional backing suggests capacity for ongoing collaboration.

What concrete results did the platform deliver?

The project produced 56 deliverables total, including 2 demonstrated deliverables: the final release and the deployment of the MED-GOLD ICT platform. This indicates the tool moved from concept through to a working, deployed system during the project lifetime.

Consortium

Who built it

The MED-GOLD consortium brings together 17 partners from 7 countries, with a strong balance between research and industry. With 7 industry partners (41% of the consortium) and 6 research organizations, the project was designed for practical application rather than pure academics. The 2 SMEs add commercial agility, while the coordinator ENEA — Italy's national agency for energy and sustainable development — provides institutional weight and long-term continuity. The geographic spread across Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Belgium, UK, and Colombia covers major Mediterranean production zones and global market access. For a business looking to adopt these tools, the diverse consortium means multiple potential entry points and regional expertise.

How to reach the team

ENEA (Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile), Italy — a major national research agency, reachable through their institutional website

Order a report on this consortiumSee AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the MED-GOLD team to explore licensing the climate platform for your agricultural operations? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help you evaluate the fit for your business.

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