Cajamar presents a global roadmap for the future of agri-food R&D&I

 

The challenge of producing more and better through technological knowledge

 

Cajamar has presented in the Spanish Institute of Engineering the publication Agri-food research and innovation systems in the worldThe work, coordinated by Tomás García AzcárateIt analyzes international R&D&I models to address the strategic challenge of sustainability and improve the transfer of results to the productive sector.

 

This initiative is part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Las Palmerillas Experimental Stationreaffirming the organization's commitment to the modernization of agriculture. The document, prepared by more than a dozen experts, examines the evolution of innovation in recent decades in key regions such as United States, the European Union, Netherlands, Italy, France, Israel, New Zealand, China y Spain.

 

Comparative analysis and structural challenges of the sector

 

The study's main conclusion is unanimous: the global challenge lies in producing better, and sometimes more, while adhering to criteria of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The text identifies critical tensions in current agricultural research, such as the disconnect between rural and urban areas, and the difficulty of balancing short-term concerns with a long-term strategic vision.

 

The following details the main points addressed in the publication regarding the global situation of R&D&I:

 

Scope of Analysis	Details and Key Countries
Models Studied	USA, EU, Netherlands (Wageningen), France (INRAE), Israel, China (centralized), New Zealand (market), Italy and Spain.
Management Challenges	Relationship between basic and applied research; transfer of results to society; public-private alignment.
Global Objective	Ensuring food security through technologies that enable more efficient and profitable agriculture.

 

To overcome these barriers, the study proposes moving towards a more integrated public-private partnership model. It suggests holding a participatory conference that includes the commercial distribution sector and a national meeting on agricultural research to disseminate current research initiatives.

 

Institutional leadership and vision for the future

 

 

During the presentation, Roberto García Torrente, Director of Sustainability and Agri-food Development of Cajamar GroupHe highlighted the entity's trajectory: “In Cajamar We have always viewed technological development as a mechanism for addressing economic and environmental challenges. Fifty years ago, we launched the Las Palmerillas Experimental Station to help transform knowledge into solutions.”

 

For his part, the project coordinator, Tomás García AzcárateHe pointed out that the book does not seek to provide "closed recipes", but rather to invite reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the Spanish ecosystem compared to models such as the Chinese or the New Zealand one. Fernando MirandaThe Agriculture Counselor at the Spanish Embassy in Italy reinforced this idea, stating that future challenges are insurmountable without the intensive use of innovation.

 

The closing of the event was led by Eduardo Baamonde, President of Cajamar, who emphasized the need for a paradigm shift: “Since Cajamar We hope this publication will contribute to opening a necessary debate on how Spain It can make the leap from being a benchmark in food production to becoming a generator of the technologies that will make more efficient agriculture possible.”

 

Key points and frequently asked questions about Agri-food Innovation

 

What is the main objective of the book presented by Cajamar?
The objective is to offer a rigorous and comparative analysis of agri-food research and innovation systems worldwide to identify strategies that allow for more sustainable and efficient production.

 

What specific proposals does the study put forward to improve the sector in Spain?
Among the proposals are the holding of a participatory conference with all actors in the chain (including distribution), a state meeting on agricultural research and the promotion of public-private collaboration.

 

Which countries have been used as a reference in the research?
The study analyzes the innovation ecosystems of major powers such as the United States, China, Israel, New Zealand, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain itself, highlighting the diversity of their approaches.