The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the School of Industrial Organization renew their collaboration to promote digitalization in the agricultural sector

Through an agreement published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) has renewed its agreement with the EOI (School of Industrial Organization) to collaborate on two funding opportunities: one for knowledge exchange, information activities, and training; and the other for digitalization advisory services within the framework of the CAP Strategic Plan. This reaffirms the commitment of both entities to promote the digital transition of the agri-food sector.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), through the State Secretariat for Agriculture and Food , has signed the second addendum to the collaboration agreement with the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) in preparation for the calls for supra-regional aid that the Government will make between the end of 2025 and 2026 for the exchange of knowledge, information and training and for advice on digitalization, framed within the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-2027 .

This agreement includes an additional budget of 100,000 euros for 2026. The EOI will collaborate on two calls for aid : one for the exchange of knowledge, training and information , with a budget of 9 million euros planned for spring 2026 ; and another for advising agricultural holdings on the digital transition , with a budget of 4.7 million euros, planned for the end of 2025 .

According to the addendum to the agreement published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on October 28 , the EOI will continue to help identify eligible initiatives from actors in the agri-food and forestry sectors and will work to publicize the available funding opportunities and raise awareness among grant applicants. Furthermore, the School of Industrial Organization will conduct the external technical evaluation of the applications received, analyze any appeals, and ensure the independence of the evaluators to prevent conflicts of interest.

The EOI Foundation, attached to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, has extensive experience in training technicians, business owners, and managers, especially in the field of technology, as well as in advising SMEs, including on digital transformation. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the EOI have a well-established relationship. This Foundation participates in the coordination committee of the Digitalization Strategy for the Agri-food and Forestry Sector and Rural Areas and was previously a collaborating entity in providing digitalization support within the 2014-2022 National Rural Development Program.

Additionally, the EOI is a key player in the implementation of the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) in the Agri-food sector, implementing measures under Priority Axis II for the digitalization of the agri-food sector. For all these reasons, the Ministry has determined that this foundation remains an ideal partner to collaborate in launching these two grant programs.

The calls for proposals for these grants are currently being drafted and their management falls under the purview of the Directorate General for Rural Development, Innovation and Agri-food Training, in conjunction with the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund. These grants, along with those supporting the financing of innovative projects through supra-regional operational groups of the AEI-Agri (European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture), are key to strengthening the innovation ecosystem and the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (SCIA), and fostering interrelationships between entities from different autonomous communities.

THE FOUNDATION SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION

EOI is the first business school founded in Spain, in 1955. It stands out as a solid entity and is backed by the state public sector, dependent on the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.

At the Foundation School of Industrial Organization, training is the strategic tool for business development and is positioned in key areas such as industry, the environment, innovation, and new technologies.

Active collaboration with government policies reinforces its commitment to key areas such as industrial development and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises; energy, the environment, telecommunications, industrial property and the development of the information society.

Furthermore, participation in operational programs and other instruments of action of the European Union highlights the international dimension of the School of Industrial Organization Foundation, with funding and collaboration opportunities at the European level.