Launch event for new innovation projects by supra-regional operational groups in the agri-food and forestry sectors.
- The project presentation event will take place on 5 December at FEUGA in Santiago de Compostela, and will also offer the possibility to attend online.
- The projects, which have received a grant of over half a million euros for their implementation under the 2023 call of MAPA and will run for four years, stand out for their collaborative and multidisciplinary nature.
Santiago de Compostela, 28 November 2024. On 5 December, FEUGA is organising the Launch Event for various innovation initiatives selected under the call for grants supporting the implementation of innovation projects of general interest by supra-regional operational groups of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-Agri), within the framework of Spain’s CAP Strategic Plan (PEPAC) 2023–2027.
Thus, a total of six projects will be presented:
SESSION A. Adaptation of agricultural and forest soils to climate change:
- GO CLIMALACT: Development of protocols and sustainability indicators for the “CLIMALACT” label.
- GO PRERIVID: Prediction of vineyard water requirements for the sustainable use of irrigation water.
- GO PLANFORLAB: Network of forest laboratories using improved plant material to enhance resilience and productivity in conifer forests.
SESSION B. Increasing productivity and preserving agricultural and forest soils:
- GO OLIVITECH: Optimisation of olive cultivation through technological and aerobiological analysis.
- GO Ash4Soil: Enhancing the productivity of soils, agricultural crops and forest plantations through a soil amendment derived from the valorisation of biomass ash.
- GO MAXI-coberLEG: Maximising the benefits of cover crops through the selection of winter legume species and crop management practices.
Interested participants may register to attend online via the following link: Online registration for the innovation project presentation event.
Additionally, this event is part of the “Suelos vivos” conference organised by FEUGA to mark World Soil Day. The aim of the event is to promote knowledge transfer and highlight innovative practices that contribute to the preservation and restoration of soil health, ensuring long-term sustainability. In addition to the presentation of the aforementioned operational groups, the conference will showcase the latest advances from European research projects focused on soil health through keynote speeches, flash talks, posters and workshops.
The CLIMALACT Operational Group aims to develop a sustainability and climate neutrality label, the CLIMALACT brand, applied to the Asturian and Galician milk production system. It considers a joint analysis of both the farm and the value chain in order to identify and implement best practices. This Operational Group is coordinated by FEUGA and involves the participation of Campoastur Productos y Servicios, Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta (CAPSA), AGACA and Asociación Intereo, with the Silvopastoral Systems Research Group of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC) acting as a subcontracted member.
On the other hand, the PRERIVID Operational Group seeks to address the challenges posed by climate change through the development of a tool designed to enable the sustainable use of irrigation water. In addition to FEUGA, this project involves the technology company Monet Tecnología e Innovación S.L., as well as the wineries Quinta Couselo, Quinta Sardonia and Bodegas Enguera. The project also involves the participation of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), through the Projects and Planning Group of the Higher Polytechnic School of Engineering in Lugo; the Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACYL), through its Viticulture Group; the Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE – CSIC, Universitat de València and Generalitat Valenciana), through the Water and Crops Group; and the Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (ICVV – CSIC, Universidad de La Rioja and Government of La Rioja), through the MedWineQuality Group.
The PLANFORLAB Operational Group aims to contribute to improving the condition of conifer forests through the development of new improved forest plant material, using the innovative “forest laboratory” concept. The innovations arising from the project will help conifer forests grow under improved conditions, strengthening their resilience to the pests and diseases that currently cause significant damage, as well as to the effects of climate change This project involves the participation of the Asociación Forestal de Galicia (AFG), the Federación de Asociaciones Forestales de Castilla y León (FAFCYLE), the Confederación de Forestalistas del País Vasco (CFPV), TRAGSA, FEUGA, and the Confederación de Organizaciones de Selvicultores de España (COSE). In addition, the Centro de Investigación Forestal de Lourizán, the NEIKER Technology Centre, the Fundación General de la Universidad de Valladolid (FUNGE UVa), and the Instituto de Ciencias Forestales (INIA-CSIC) act as subcontracted members.
In turn, the OLIVITECH Operational Group aims to promote a more sustainable use of plant protection products in olive cultivation by developing a tool to estimate the risk of fungal infections.
This project involves FEUGA, the technology company Monet Tecnología e Innovación S.L., and the producers Aceites Abril S.L., Deoleo Global, and the cooperative Oleand Manzanilla Olive S.Coop.And. The project also involves the Research Group in Agro-Environmental Systems (GISA) of the Universidade de Vigo (UVigo), and the Systematic and Applied Botany Research Group of the Universidad de Córdoba (UCO).
For its part, Ash4Soil aims to improve the fertility of acidic soils and increase productivity in forest and agricultural plantations through the development and use of an amendment–fertiliser material called Ash4Soil, derived from forest and livestock by-products. Ash4Soil is coordinated by FEUGA and involves the participation of Greenalia, Álvaro Rodríguez Eiras S.L.U. (ARESA), Agrobarcenilla S.L., Sociedad Cooperativa Galega A Carqueixa, SELGA, Compañía Galega de Silvicultores S.L., and Almacenes Boina S.L., in addition to the Silvopastoral Systems Research Group of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC) as a subcontracted member.
Finally, Maxi_CoberLEG promotes the use of cover crops, such as annual winter legumes, which improve soil structure, retain water and nutrients, enhance microbial activity, reduce weeds and pests, and fix nitrogen, thereby optimising soil quality and plant growth. This strategy is presented as a key tool for addressing the main challenges facing today’s agriculture, such as climate change, agri-food quality, and environmental sustainability. These challenges are particularly critical in crops such as citrus fruits, which are threatened by pests, invasive diseases, soil erosion and desertification. The project is coordinated by FEUGA and the Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), with the participation of the Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), the companies Masía El Carmen S.L. and Bio Varsella S.L., and the Cooperativa Agrícola de Pego.
In addition, the Universitat de València, the Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), and Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence S.L. also participate in the project.
Projects carried out within the framework of the CAP Strategic Plan (PEPAC) 2023–2027, co-funded 80% by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) of the European Union and 20% by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). The Directorate-General for Rural Development, Innovation and Agri-Food Training (DGDRIFA) is the authority responsible for implementing these grants.
The project budgets are as follows: Ash4Soil has a total budget of €600,000, with a grant of €575,700.36; OLIVITECH has a budget of €551,196.27 and a grant of €543,206.47; MAXI-CoberLEG has a budget of €598,609.05 and a grant of €591,393.45; PLANFORLAB has a budget of €599,134.24, fully funded with a grant of €599,134.24; CLIMALACT has a total budget of €600,000, also fully funded with a grant of €600,000; and PRERIVID has a budget of €589,731.54, with a grant of €583,385.01.