Tenerife Cabildo Unveils Advanced Platform to Enhance Vineyard Sustainability

The Cabildo of Tenerife has introduced VidDATA, a pioneering platform aimed at improving vineyard resilience in the face of climate change.

Innovative Features of VidDATA

Developed by the Technological and Renewable Energies Institute (ITER), VidDATA is designed to analyze climate trends and their effects on viticulture within the Canary Islands. This platform provides real-time climate consultations, enabling users to plan agricultural activities based on weather forecasts. It also generates climate projections and agroclimatic indices, identifies optimal regions for vine cultivation under various scenarios, and simulates production costs for viticulture.

According to President Rosa Dávila, the introduction of this tool marks a crucial advancement in supporting the local wine industry. She emphasized the importance of protecting both crops and cultural identity, stating, “Our commitment is to safeguard our crops and our identity. This is a move forward in adapting viticulture to climate change as we face uncontrollable weather situations and pests.” The platform utilizes high-resolution climate models developed by the GOTA group and processed on the TEIDE-HPC supercomputer, providing tailored data for effective agricultural planning.

Addressing Climate Challenges in Viticulture

As climate variability increasingly threatens the wine sector, VidDATA serves as a vital resource for grape growers, technicians, and industry professionals. By leveraging high-resolution climate data, stakeholders can make informed decisions that reflect the unique agricultural conditions of the Canary Islands. While the primary focus is on vine cultivation, the methodologies employed could potentially extend to other crops in the future.

The project has a budget of €574,119.48 and has been developed in partnership with the Interaction, ICT, and Education (ITED) and Agrifood Economics in the Canary Islands (ECOAGROCAN) groups from the University of La Laguna (ULL). Funding has been provided by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency as part of the 2019 “Collaborative Challenges” R&D projects. Collaboration with GOTA, ULL, and the Denominations of Origin (DDOO) of the wine sector has been essential to the project’s success.

Enhancing Decision-Making with High-Precision Data

Juan José Martínez, the island councillor for Innovation at the Cabildo of Tenerife, highlighted that VidDATA exemplifies how scientific advancements can benefit the local territory and primary sector. He stated, “VidDATA is a clear example of how science and technology can serve our territory and the primary sector. We are committed to tools that strengthen the resilience of the wine sector against climate change, and this platform exemplifies the immense potential our institutions have when collaborating with the university and the agricultural sector.”

This innovative tool represents a significant shift in the management of viticulture in the Canary Islands, offering methods for decision-making grounded in scientific and technological data. By integrating climate information into viticultural planning, VidDATA aims to facilitate more efficient and sustainable vineyard management, thereby ensuring the sector’s adaptability to climate challenges and its long-term viability.

VidDATA is built on a robust and scalable technological framework designed to meet the evolving needs of the viticulture sector. The platform aggregates over 3.5 billion records related to meteorological, climatic, and viticulture production data from seven distinct sources. This information is presented through more than 60 interactive dashboards, enhancing analysis and decision-making capabilities for users.

To ensure data accuracy, advanced interpolation techniques are employed to adjust climate information according to varying periods and agricultural conditions. Furthermore, collaboration with the Denominations of Origin (DDOO) of the wine sector has facilitated the inclusion of detailed crop traceability data, allowing for a direct correlation between climatic variables and viticultural production.

Key points

• The Cabildo of Tenerife has launched VidDATA, a platform for analyzing climate impacts on viticulture.
• VidDATA offers real-time climate consultations and planning tools for grape growers.
• The project has a budget of €574,119.48 and involves collaboration with local universities and research groups.
• High-resolution climate models are utilized to provide tailored data for agricultural planning.
• VidDATA aims to enhance vineyard management and resilience against climate change.
• The platform integrates over 3.5 billion records from various data sources for comprehensive analysis.
• Advanced interpolation methods improve the accuracy of climate data for agricultural use.