Valencian Community

The Valencian Community is the fourth largest Spanish economy with a weight on the national GDP of 9.3% ( Caixabank Research (2023) . The Community has 100,258 agricultural holdings, of which 78% are smaller than 5 hectares. By crop, citrus fruits, almonds, persimmons, olive groves, vineyards, rice, barley and carob are the ones that receive the largest surface area, with 455,180 ha. (88%). More than three-quarters of the Valencian livestock population corresponds to pigs, followed by sheep (17%) and to a lesser extent goats and cattle ( Valencian agricultural sector report 2022 ).

The Valencian agri-food complex represents 7.2% of the Spanish sector. In 2022, the number of agri-food companies was 2,532 (8.4% of Spain). By sectors, the manufacture of bakery and pasta products represented 45.4% followed by other food products (cocoa, sugar, ready-made meals, diet foods) 14.7%, beverage manufacturing 11.5%, meat industry 8.1% and processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables, 5.8%. ( Valencian agricultural sector report 2022 ).

The Agri-Food System (AFS) is made up of a set of economic activities that make it possible to meet society's demand for food in sufficient time, quantity and quality. Thus, the AFS includes the industry of inputs and services to agriculture and the food industry, agricultural production, the food industry, transport and storage and agri-food distribution. The GVA generated by the AFS of the Valencian Community reached 10,718 million euros in 2020, representing 11.2% of the total GVA of the economy ( The agri-food system of the Valencian Community) .

The challenge of viability of Valencian agriculture is associated with the opportunities for articulating the food chain, adjustments in the fragmentation of land ownership, joint management of production, mobility of the land market, the availability of tools that facilitate planning for professionals in the sector and public and private investment for the benefit of sustainable agricultural activity that generates employment. ( Law 5/2019 on agricultural structures of the Valencian Community ).

The regional AKIS is represented by a cluster of public and private agents grouped together and interacting with each other:

The image shows the groups of public and private agents of a regional AKIS:

Agents that generate knowledge.
Public sector agents.
Agents dedicated to training.
Agents of the agri-food sector.
Other AKIS agents.

AKIS agents and interactions

Agents dedicated to knowledge generation

Cardinal Herrera-CEU University .
Catholic University of Valencia Saint Vincent Martyr .
European University of Valencia .
University of Alicante .
University of Valencia .
Jaume I University .
Miguel Hernandez University .
Polytechnic University of Valencia .
AINIA : Private technology centre with areas of specialisation such as food quality and safety, green transition and digital transformation.
Centre for Research on Desertification ( CIDE ): Joint research institute of the Spanish National Research Council, the University of Valencia and the Generalitat Valenciana, focused on the analysis and study of the risk and potential impact of desertification and climate change on ecosystems and humans.
Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology ( IATA ): Own center of the Higher Council for Scientific Research focused on agrochemical activity and food technology.
Primo Yufera Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants ( IBMCP ) : Joint research institute of the Spanish National Research Council and the Polytechnic University of Valencia focused on the research of key processes of growth and development of plant organisms and their ability to adapt to the environment.
Institute of Integrative Systems Biology ( I2SYSBIO ) : Joint research institute of the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Valencia.
Institute for Innovation and Knowledge Management ( INGENIO ) : Joint research institute of the Spanish National Research Council and the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
Institute of Chemical Technology ( ITQ ) : Joint research institute of the Spanish National Research Council and the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research ( IVIA ): Entity of the government of the Generalitat Valenciana dedicated to promoting scientific research and technological development in the Valencian agri-food sector and to integrating this contribution to the progress of agricultural science into the system of collaboration and cooperation relationships inherent to research activity. The Institute is made up of a series of centres: Centre for Agroengineering , Centre for Citrus Growing and Plant Production , Centre for the Development of Sustainable Agriculture , Centre for Genomics , Centre for Plant Protection and Biotechnology , Centre for Animal Technology , Centre for Post-harvest Technology and Service for Irrigation Technology .

Public sector agents

Conselleria de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca : public institution that administers the responsibilities in agriculture, livestock, agri-food and rural development of the Community. The Conselleria has a series of technical services for technology transfer and advice:

1. Plant Health Service. It has three centres, in Almassora (Castellón), Silla (Valencia) and Alicante, as Agricultural Warning Stations. After being aware of the phytosanitary problems of the crops in each province, it disseminates throughout the Community the data gathered from the monitoring of biological cycles, tests and experiences, either through the Warning Bulletin and/or by telephone.

2. Organic Production, Innovation and Technology Service, with functions of development and implementation of new technologies, continuous innovation in organic production.

3. Animal Production and Health Service.

4. Technology Transfer Service (TTS): This is the service of the Regional Ministry that is responsible for advisory services, dissemination of information on technological advances, coordination with research, experimentation and adaptation of innovations in agricultural production techniques, as well as ongoing training in the agri-food sector. The service provides technical advice to the agri-food sector directly and personally from the EEA and manages the online advisory service . The service has its own training plan ( PLAFORM ) and manages and supervises the training of professional users of phytosanitary products.

5. Agricultural Experimental Stations (EEA). Dependent on the STT, they implement the Service Experimentation Plan .

Territorial addresses and Regional Agricultural Offices: Alicante (8), Castellón (8), Valencia (19).
Organic Agriculture Committee of the Valencian Community ( CAECV ).
Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI).

Agents dedicated to training

Institutes, agricultural training schools and vocational training schools. You can consult a list of centres here .

Agents of the agri-food sector

Quality brands and “ Molt de Gust ”: list of quality brands and guarantee mark for the Community's differentiated quality and organic products.
Agro-Food Cooperatives of the Valencian Community : 374 cooperatives organized into 7 sector councils: Fruits and Vegetables, Wine, Oil, Rice, Nuts, Rural Development, Supplies.
Federation of Agri-Food Companies of the Valencian Community ( FEDACOVA ).
Business Confederation of the Valencian Community ( CEV ).
Citrus Management Committee ( CGC ).
Professional Colleges of Agricultural Engineers , Agricultural Technicians Valencia and Castellón , Alicante , and Veterinarians Alicante , Castellón and Valencia .
Agricultural Professional Organizations (OPAs): CCPV-COAG , AVA-ASAJA , Alicante-ASAJA , UPA-PV , Unió de Llauradors i Ramaders del País Valencià (ULRPV ).
Agricultural Treatment Associations (ATRIA).
Health Defense Groups (ADS).

Other agents

Valencian Rural Development Network ( REDAVER ).
Local Action Groups (11).
Operational Groups and innovative projects .
Cercle Agroalimentari of the Valencian Community .
Network of Valencian Science Parks ( RePCV ): Espaitec - Scientific and Technological Park of the Universitat Jaume I ; Scientific Park of the University of Valencia ; Polytechnic City of Innovation - Universitat Politècnica de València ; Alicante Science Park - University of Alicante , Science Park of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche .

Instruments and tools for the dynamization of the AKIS

REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

The Smart Specialisation Strategy of the Valencian Community integrates the 3 specialisation challenges of the sector in the environment “Innovative Valencian Community by its origin and destination”: “Increase technical development and sustainable innovation in agricultural holdings; support the adoption of new technologies and materials in the agri-food sector through investment in R&D&I; promote the applications of green biotechnology and other innovative solutions for healthy and sustainable food (new foods, new sources of protein, etc.).” ( Generalitat Valenciana (2021). Smart specialisation strategy of the Valencian Community 2021-2027 ). This area is a reference framework for the development of the regional AKIS System for innovation and transfer of knowledge and experiences between agents.

CAP 2023 – 2027

In the field of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Valencian Community allocates the following budget and actions to two of the interventions most directly linked to AKIS:

7162 (Cooperation other than EIP operational groups): €1.85 million.
7201 (Training): €2.50 million.

TOOLS FOR DYNAMIZATION

Competitive sectoral tensions are an incentive to reinforce alternative models of relationships between agents in the food chain and to implement new forms of management that mobilize agricultural structures for the benefit of innovative activities and entrepreneurship. ( Law 5/2019 on agricultural structures of the Valencian Community ). In this sense, the Valencian AKIS System faces the challenge of increasing the innovation of producers, the transfer of experiences through the training of system agents, and the production of synergies ( Ramos, 2017 ; Pérez Ledo, Pau and Pérez, Mónica, 2021) for a competitive and sustainable sector.

The inertia achieved between the agents is reinforced by the activation of innovative projects and productive collaborations between large and small producers, processors, marketers and researchers and government agencies such as the AVI and the IVIA . Therefore, the sustainability of the Valencian AKIS system and sectoral innovation is strengthened by the links through shared mechanisms and agendas materialized in projects, hybrid organizational structures, scientific dissemination conferences and events, training in innovation and adoption of new technologies, specialized advice that impact the competitiveness, adaptability and modernization of the Valencian agricultural sector.

Finally, the dynamics of the AKIS regional system agent network influences the articulation and territorial fixation of the social fabric through the coordinated action of companies, organizations, consultants, public entities and the Local Action Groups (11) and Rural Development ( Viewer of Operational Groups and Innovative Projects of the RedPAC ). Each and every one of the agents contributes significant value to the sector by facilitating the transfer of knowledge, experiences and innovations that impact the productivity and competitiveness of the sector and social well-being.

SUPPORT MEASURES FOR KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER, TRAINING AND INNOVATION

Aid for training and acquisition of skills for agri-food activities within the framework of the CV/Knowledge transfer and training and information activities PDR PEPAC 23-27. Support for the training plans of entities that provide training services, specifically professional agricultural organisations, federations or unions of agricultural cooperatives in the Community and other entities, all of them non-profit, directly related to the agri-food sector and the rural environment, which have among their objectives the qualification of professionals in the agri-food sector.
Pilot cooperation projects within the framework of the RDP (PEPAC): Support and promotion of innovative pilot projects in the agricultural and food sector, derived from cooperation approaches by Innovation Teams. The members of these teams are farmers, associations, cooperatives, who propose and carry out an innovative project to solve a problem, apply an innovative solution, and disseminate the results. In short, support for multi-stakeholder projects to promote innovation.
Technological innovation in collaborating farms: The purpose of the aid is to generate and finance a technology transfer network by supporting collaborating farms or operations that develop innovative projects, serving as a complement to the experimental network of the Agricultural Experimental Stations (EEA) .

INTEGRATION OF ADVISORY IN AKIS

Support for advisory services is an important lever for development to help improve sustainable management and the overall performance of agricultural and forestry farms, and is a key factor in boosting the transfer of knowledge and innovations between the regional AKIS stakeholders.

In the Valencian Community, entities interested in providing advisory services must have legal personality, as well as unions or federations of these or cooperatives related to agricultural activity, and include in their statutes as a corporate purpose the provision of assistance and advice to farmers and ranchers.