Grupo Operacional i9Kiwi
Congresso Final 2021

Challenge

IPN participates in the I9Kiwi project which aims to improve the country's competitiveness focusing exclusively on primary production activities in the kiwi sector through various types of innovation, namely product and process innovation. I9Kiwi gathers the necessary competences to fill evident gaps in the phytosanitary sector and in the quality and diversity of cultivars and pollen, associated to high production costs. The IPN participates in the I9Kiwi project which aims to improve the country's competitiveness focusing exclusively on primary production activities in the kiwi sector through various types of innovation, namely product and process innovation. I9Kiwi gathers the necessary skills to fill evident gaps in the phytosanitary sector and in the quality and diversity of cultivars and pollen, associated to high production costs. (Actinidia sp.) is an important economic activity in several countries, having presented a worldwide expansion in the last years. In Portugal, it was from the 1990's that the production of kiwi started to develop thanks to the commercial value of the fruit associated with low production costs. Investments have increased in recent years, translating into a notable increase in exports, having reached a maximum value of 13 kton in 2013, equivalent to 11 M€. Although strong investments continue, with the production area increasing by 1/3 in the last years, productivity has decreased, being the infection by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) the main culprit.

Solution

 On 16 and 17 December 2021 i9kiwi organised its final congress on "Development of strategies aimed at the sustainability of the kiwi sector through the creation of a value-added product".
This congress acted as a platform for the exchange of knowledge and the sharing of technical expertise obtained in the course of the activities of the Operational Group.