About WineGuard – Pesticide Pollution Challenges and good practices
16/07/2026
A recent European Environment Agency survey, entitled Pesticides in Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater in Europe (link here) shows that pesticide concentrations in surface waters (rivers and lakes) and groundwater exceed established safety thresholds at a significant proportion of monitoring sites.
Agriculture sector is increasingly adopting more sustainable practices to reduce pesticide dispersion in the environment. These efforts help limit pollution transported through river basins to the Adriatic Sea, protecting both inland and marine ecosystems across the Italy–Croatia Programme area.
WineGuard addresses the issue of pesticide use in agriculture by supporting the spread of implementing measures for reducing their application and promoting more sustainable crop protection practices.
Digital technologies, such as sensors, monitoring stations, and Decision Support Systems (DSS), can support more sustainable farming practices by enabling more precise pesticide application and reducing pesticide use. Their adoption is increasingly promoted in Europe through initiatives supporting digitalisation and sustainability in agriculture.
The role of local stakeholders
- Farmers and farmers’ representatives contribute their practical knowledge of local farming systems, supporting the testing and adoption of digital tools such as sensors and Decision Support Systems (DSS), while ensuring that project solutions meet farmers’ real needs.
- Students, the next generation of farmers, are empowered with the knowledge and digital skills to harness innovative technologies to monitor environmental conditions in real time. By applying these tools in precision agriculture, they can optimize pesticide use, protect biodiversity, improve soil and water quality, and contribute to more sustainable and climate-resilient farming systems.
- The general public is engaged through awareness-raising activities on the environmental and health impacts of pesticide use, promoting responsible consumption and support for sustainable agriculture.
- Local municipalities play a key role in supporting the implementation of environmental initiatives at the local level, facilitating coordination with territorial policies and contributing to the dissemination of sustainable agricultural practices within communities.
