AgrifoodTef

European network created to promote digitisation and sustainability in the agri-food sector through physical and digital testing and validation infrastructures.

Its mission is to support SMEs and technology providers specialising in artificial intelligence and robotics for the agri-food sector, providing them with access to real-world environments where they can validate and optimise their solutions before launching them on the market.

The network seeks to accelerate the digital transition, increase the sector’s competitiveness and promote the adoption of responsible, sustainable and efficient technologies.

The main objectives are:

• Accelerate the digitisation of the European agri-food sector: promote the adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics throughout the agri-food system.
• Provide testing and experimentation infrastructure: create a network of physical and virtual facilities where companies can test and validate technological solutions in real, controlled environments before launching them on the market.
• Supporting SMEs and technology developers: helping small and medium-sized enterprises to commercialise their products by reducing risks and costs, through testing and validation services with financing options for SMEs.
• Improving the sustainability and efficiency of the food system: promoting technologies that contribute to a more efficient use of natural resources, reducing the environmental impact of food production and processing.
• Fostering collaboration between research and industry: strengthening links between research centres, universities, technology companies and food producers.

The international consortium is made up of more than 30 entities from nine European countries, organised into two main nodes (Italy and France) and seven satellite nodes (Belgium, Poland, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and Denmark).

The Spanish node includes: the Agrotecnio research centre, the University of Lleida, the University of Córdoba, the Lleida Agrobiotech Park, the CEP (Centre for Swine Studies), AGACAL (Galician Food Quality Agency), the Gradiant technology centre, the Hispatec company and the EDIH (European Digital Innovation Hub) DATAlife.

In Lleida, work is carried out in the following sectors:

• Pig farming
• Fruit growing
• Agrifood industry
• Agrifood data spaces and data management

This project has received co-funding from the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme under grant agreement No. 101100622.