Agrotecnio and IRTA, whose mission is to promote research in the agri-food field in Catalonia, will work on three joint research projects on topics such as the cultivation of fruit with precision tools, the valorisation of milk with healthy properties and the genetic improvement of pigs. This call, with an overall budget of €100,000, will also serve to foster collaboration between their groups. The resources to fund these projects come from the Departament d’Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca i Alimentació (DARPA) of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
PhotonFruit, FerMilk and Epihealth are the names of the three selected projects, which are aimed at generating an impact on the agri-food sector and will be developed with the active participation of a company based in Catalonia:
- PhotonFruit: digital monitoring for precision fruit cultivation with affordable photonic solutions, is led by researchers Eduard Gregorio (Agrotecnio-Universitat de Lleida) and Jordi Gené (IRTA), in collaboration with the company Nufri. This research project faces the challenge of promoting the transfer of affordable precision farming tools to the fruit-growing sector. The research will focus on evaluating new monitoring methodologies based on low-cost photonic sensors, such as RGB-D cameras and solid-state LiDAR sensors.
- FerMilk: valorisation of transition milk through fermentation for new foods with healthy properties for animal and human nutrition, led by researchers Nàdia Ortega (Agrotecnio-UdL) and Elena García (IRTA), in collaboration with the company Llet Nostra Alimentària S.L. The project proposes to explore fermentation as a way of valorising transition milk from dairy cows (between colostrum and mature milk), which has a similar composition to colostrum but is not used. Through a scientific and applied approach, it will seek to develop foods or ingredients with health-promoting properties, both for ruminant and, potentially, human consumption (especially in the infant and senior segments).
- Epihealth: epigenetic marks as a source of genetic improvement in pig health. It is led by the researcher Houda Laghouaouta (Agrotecnio-UdL) and Antoni Dalmau (IRTA), in collaboration with the company Selección Batallé. The aim of this project is to use epigenetic marks – changes in gene function influenced by the environment that do not alter DNA but can be transmitted from generation to generation – to identify resilient pigs, capable of maintaining their productivity in different environments and improving the sustainability of the pig production system.
Each project, which will run from July 2025 to December 2026, will receive up to €33,500.
Agrotecnio’s director,
José Antonio Bonet, underlines the strategic importance of this joint call: “
Food is the vital link between agriculture, health, the environment and the population. We are facing challenges such as food insecurity, dwindling resources or a drop in productivity. The agri-food sector is equivalent to 19% of Catalan GDP, is key to the economy and employs more than 170,000 people. If we work together, research can make the food chain in Catalonia more sustainable and efficient“.
For his part, the general director of IRTA,
Josep Usall, states that “
from IRTA, we value very positively this collaboration with Agrotecnio, which represents a firm step towards a more integrated and applied agri-food research with real impact. These three projects exemplify how science can respond to specific challenges of the sector: from a more efficient fruit production to the improvement of animal health and the generation of functional foods. In addition, they reinforce the transfer of knowledge between centers, companies and the territory, which is key to innovation and competitiveness of the Catalan agri-food system“.
The Secretary of Food of the Department of Agriculture of the Generalitat,
Rosa Cubel, said that for the Government is “
of vital importance the commitment to research projects and knowledge transfer to ensure the progress and future of the agri-food sector. Only by innovating and providing technological solutions to the primary sector will we advance towards the economically, socially and environmentally sustainable agricultural and livestock model for which we work with conviction“.
