Living Hubs in the INNO4CFIs Project. From Ground to Satellites to AI Applications: Integrating Advanced Technologies for Carbon Farming in Agroforestry

In the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, innovative carbon farming activities could play a prominent role in the sequestration of atmospheric CO₂. By implementing state-of-the-art technological solutions, the EU-funded INNO4CFIs project will assess C tree sequestration in four European agroforestry Living Hubs (LHs). For sustainable freshwater production in agroforestry systems, the performance of an IoT-supported desalination system (Mangrove Technology Platform, MTP) will be validated in the reference LH of Follonica (Grosseto, Italy). As an indicator of C sequestration, tree biomass accumulation will be monitored using a cutting-edge approach that integrates traditional tree allometric equations to satellite- and UAV drone-based remote sensing analyses. Ecophysiological measurements by sensors will characterize tree performances and functionality. All the physiological, agronomic, and carbon accumulation data from the different agroforestry plantations will be directed to a decentralized data management that guarantees security measures and data traceability for end-users and stakeholders. Finally, advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) methodologies will support the project in developing a peer-to-peer (P2P) carbon credit recommendation engine. Overall, INNO4CFIs will offer an advanced and unique analysis of AFS potential as a carbon offset strategy.