ECIU University challenge solved, receives grant to implement second phase

“The meetings in which we exchanged ideas were the best part and the opportunity to have suched skilled supervisors prepared to listen to our ideas, made the whole experience even more beneficial”.

As part of the “From farm to work” challenge, proposed by the University of Trento, an international team formed by UAB student Fernanda Sauca and students from the master's degree in Innovation Management (University of Trento) Francesca D' Agostino, Francesca Virzi, Mattia Rossetti and Emma Di Liberto, were asked how they could help local farmers using a sustainable delivery system. To solve this question, the team decided to create Fresh App, a project which has been awarded a Transnational Innovative Voucher (TIV), worth €5,000 and granted to them by the ECIU University. The voucher will help them launch the second phase, the actual development of the application.

“FreshApp will be a platform in which clients will be able to order their fruits and vegetables and then pick them up in different parts of Trento on specific days. The application aims to be a sustainable way to offer boxes in which the produce can be kept fresh up to three days instead of using energy to keep lorry engines running or storing the produce in warehouses. Moreover, the farmers no longer have to delier the products to each client and therefore they save on time, fuel, mileage and do not contribute to traffic jams. Finally, these fruits and vegetables can be ordered through the application, and that makes it possible to know exactly the amount of products sold, and discounts can be offered on products that are about to expire, thereby also adopting a zero waste policy”, Fernanda Sauca explains.

The Fresh App is a solution to the problem posed in the “From farm to work” challenge, which took place in November and December 2021: providing support to local agriculturalists is positive for the environment; helps local producers; provides work for the community and promotes a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. It also give visibility to local farmers, helps them expand their market and do so in a manner that respects the environment and avoids the typical cmovement related to traditional delivery systems.

The second phase of the project will be a big step forward in transforming the idea into a real solution that can improve the lives of local farmers in Trento.

Experience at the ECIU University

Fernanda Sauca, who had previously participated in the “Prevention of textile waste” challenge, organised by the UAB, explained that she wanted to form part of a new challenge because of the “great experience” she had: “When one of my teammates from the University of Trento recommended the "Farm to Fork" challenge, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn more about food systems, which covers a variety of subjects such as circular economy, local governance, food safety and resource efficiency”.

For Fernanda, working with team members from different origins, fields of study and backgrounds made for a great learning experience: “The meetings in which we exchanged ideas were the best part and the opportunity to have suched skilled supervisors prepared to listen to our ideas, made the whole experience even more beneficial”.

More information: ECIU University