- Researcher Blanca Sabarit outlines the work of the technology centre to validate the effectiveness of new plant-based biopesticides, in an interview recorded during EU Green Week 2024
Brussels, 22nd April 2025. The LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project marks Earth Day by highlighting the role of the TECNOVA Technology Centre in developing sustainable solutions for greenhouse agriculture. In an interview recorded at TECNOVA’s headquarters in Almería during EU Green Week 2024, Blanca Sabarit, plant pathology technician, shares key insights into her work within this European initiative.
The goal of LIFE NextFUMIGREEN is clear: to replace conventional chemical fumigants with natural alternatives derived from plant extracts, which are less toxic and more respectful of human health, biodiversity, and the environment.
At TECNOVA, Sabarit and her team are actively involved in applied research, conducting trials in different types of greenhouses, validating application protocols, and evaluating the effectiveness of the fumigant product against pests such as whitefly and the Botrytis fungus. The centre also organises technical training sessions for farmers and agricultural advisors and promotes the exchange of experiences with other European projects.
“Through this work, we aim to offer farmers a safe, effective, and sustainable alternative for pest control in horticultural crops,” says Blanca Sabarit.
About LIFE NextFUMIGREEN
LIFE NextFUMIGREEN runs for four and a half years and is 60% co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, with a total budget of €2,758,921.01. It is led by FumiHogar, with the participation of B&B Asesores, Comercial Química Massó, BrioAgro Tech, Fundación Finnova, and the TECNOVA Technology Centre.
The initiative contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal by delivering solutions that improve food safety, reduce the use of chemical pesticides, and promote the professionalisation of the agricultural sector in the use of biopesticides.
The full video with the interview with Blanca Sabarit is available at the following link: https://youtu.be/M10fR_pbFS8?si=8LrgwIQAnJDGupGW