As part of the Sustainable project, we had the opportunity to participate in a training experience at Graniot, an innovative company based in Granada that specializes in providing crop monitoring services through satellite remote sensing. Graniot supports farms by offering tools based on remote sensing, which deliver detailed information on crop status through the analysis of satellite images.

For us, agronomists accustomed to a “proximal” approach—one that is more direct and in contact with the field—it was extremely challenging to adopt a different and broader perspective. During our secondment as researchers from the University of Palermo, we learned how to use satellite images to collect data on the nutritional and water status of tree crops by applying various vegetation indices. This approach enabled us to understand how digital technologies can complement and enhance traditional observations alongside fieldwork.

Inspired by the skills we acquired, and the tools provided by the company, we aimed to apply what we learned to our local context. Thus, we initiated a small project in our hometown, Palermo, focusing on a historic villa, where we utilized the knowledge, we had gained to monitor the vegetative conditions of urban greenery. The project is still in development but approaches like these are expected to become increasingly common in the coming years, especially considering the challenges associated with managing greenery in urban environments, such as those found in the Mediterranean region. This experience enriched us not only technically but also personally, opening us to new possibilities for integrated work between traditional agronomy and digital innovation.