The event, held in person in Italian by the University of Udine (UNIUD) on May 23, 2024, brought together 16 participants, including 9 external to UNIUD. The attendees came from diverse fields: 3 farmers, 1 technology developer, 2 data providers, 4 members of the Regional Agency for Rural Development (ERSA), 2 professors from UNIUD specializing in viticulture and agronomy, and 5 moderators. The goal of the event was to discuss the skills needed in precision agriculture and explore future developments in this sector in Italy.

The session began with a presentation of the LATEST project and the results of the PR4 survey, followed by introductions from all participants, where they shared their experiences and expectations for the event. A discussion focused on the underrepresentation of group B (agricultural equipment distributors) in Italy, partly due to the lack of AgTech skills in this sector, especially because of the aging of key industry players.

After this introduction, participants were divided into two heterogeneous groups for targeted discussions on the skills needed in precision agriculture and future scenarios. The event was highly engaging, with active contributions from participants. The discussions provided in-depth insights into the skills required for precision agriculture and the future evolution of the sector. However, a key weakness was identified: the lack of professionals from the agricultural equipment production and distribution sector, which limited perspectives on certain aspects. Additionally, due to particularly rainy weather in late spring 2024, several invited farmers and entrepreneurs could not attend. Despite this, some participants expressed a strong interest in getting involved in future project activities.