Begoña García emphasizes at Agrobiotech that "digital agriculture is already part of the daily life of the Spanish countryside"

• The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food asserts that the digital transformation of the sector is “a reality built between administrations, the sector and science”
• It highlights Catalonia's role as a key ecosystem for agri-food innovation in Europe, with the University of Lleida, IRTA and Parc Agrobiotech as leading institutions.
• The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is reinforcing its commitment to the future of the sector through digitalization projects, advice and support for emerging companies.

The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Begoña García Bernal, stressed yesterday, November 27th, in Lleida, that " digital agriculture is already part of the daily life of the Spanish countryside" and that this transformation is not a promise, but "a reality built between administrations, the sector and science."

García Bernal, who closed the first edition of the AgroBioTech Innovation Forum, emphasized that technological advancement is "the present" in farms, cooperatives, and small businesses throughout the country. He insisted that digitalization "improves processes, prevents errors, frees up time, and allows for a better life in rural areas."

In her speech, the Secretary of State highlighted that Catalonia is one of the most important agri-food innovation ecosystems in Europe, thanks to the joint work of institutions such as the University of Lleida, the Parc Agrobiotech or the Institute of Food Research and Technology (IRTA), a center that she defined as "a scientific jewel of the country".

He also recalled the recent celebration of the anniversary of the DUN, the Catalan agricultural declaration system that transformed the relationship between the sector and the administration and which, thanks to the impetus of the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund (FEGA), is managed today with interoperable, secure and transparent tools.

The Secretary of State has pointed out that the digitalization of the countryside has consolidated support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which is currently promoting more than 200 digital innovation initiatives in the agri-food sector, with a public investment of more than 50 million euros, within its commitment to promoting a more profitable, sustainable and inclusive agricultural and livestock model.

Among these initiatives, the following stand out: the support of over 100 emerging agri-food companies within the La Vega Innova ecosystem and allied programs; the Agroinnpulso funding line; and the role of AgriFoodTEF, the Spanish hub for experimentation in artificial intelligence and robotics applied to the sector, funded by the European Commission and the Ministry. Lleida is one of the strategic locations for this initiative to validate new technologies in swine and fruit farming, with the participation of the University of Lleida, Agrotecnio, the Centre d'Estudis Porcins, and the Parc Agrobiotech.

Begoña García Bernal also highlighted the impact of the Digital Kit, which has mobilized more than 650 million euros and 160,000 grants in Catalonia, allowing thousands of small businesses, including agricultural holdings, to strengthen their digitalization and improve their competitiveness.

During her tour of the fair, accompanied by the Deputy Government Delegate in Lleida, José Crespín, and the Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig, the Secretary of State visited the institutional stand of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food together with La Vega Innova, where she learned about technologies applied to the agri-food sector: robotics, data analysis systems, advanced monitoring equipment and practical demonstrations of innovation developed by emerging companies supported by the ministry.