Gradiant and AGACAL coordinate the European AgriFoodTEF project in Galicia, evaluating and validating AI and robotics solutions in the agri-food and forestry sector
Gradiant will offer services involving the use of AI and Big Data technologies, IoT, 5G and unmanned autonomous vehicles (air and ground) in the dairy sector
Academic institutions and research centres from Cordoba and Lleida together with CIAM (belonging to the AGACAL) and Gradiant make up the Spanish node of the project
AgriFoodTEF will mange manage 2.5 million euros in Spain from the European Commission and another 2.5 million euros from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Together with the Galician Food Quality Agency (AGACAL), Gradiant coordinates the European AgriFoodTEF (Testing and Experimentation Facility) project in Galicia. Built as a network of physical and digital facilities across Europe, the project offers services that help assess and validate AI and robotics solutions for agri-food and forestry companies, especially SMEs, in real-life conditions to maximise the impact of digitalisation in the agri-food and forestry sector. These companies will be able to test, validate or certify their products and services prior to market launch, both in physical facilities and on virtual testing platforms.
Specifically, Gradiant will offer services involving the use of AI and Big Data technologies, IoT, 5G and unmanned autonomous vehicles (aerial and ground) in the field of fodder and dairy production. According to Luis Pérez Freire, Executive Director of Gradiant, “the technology centre has once again put itself at the forefront when it comes to offering solutions in the field of AI, in this case, coordinating the provision of support to companies that want to test their products”.
With this project, Gradiant remains a reference in the promotion of digital transformation in the primary sector in Galicia and Spain. Proof of this is the work carried out by the technology centre to promote the Galician digital innovation node DATAlife, which is also part of the agrifoodTEF project; as well as the work carried out in European projects such as SmartAgriHubs, SPADE and the EDIH DATALife, among others.
The Spanish node is mainly centred on three geographical areas that concentrate most of the physical infrastructures. Academic institutions and research centres in Cordoba and Lleida together with the Agricultural Research Centre (CIAM) in Mabegondo (belonging to AGACAL) and Gradiant make up the Spanish node. Cordoba, through the facilities and resources of the University of Cordoba, provides a range of services oriented towards arable crops, horticulture and fruit trees, extensive livestock farming and the food industry. A Coruña, through the CIAM facilities and the equipment of the Gradiant technology centre with services aimed at fodder and dairy production. Gradiant has assumed a leadership role in the relationship with the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), and will bring its expertise in working with companies to attract demand for TEF services in collaboration with the DATAlife node. Lleida, through the facilities and resources of the University of Lleida, Agrotecnio, the Centre for Pig Studies and the Lleida Agrobiotech Park, which will focus their services on the pig sector, fruit growing and agri-food data spaces.
60 million euros over 4 years
The TEFs are part of the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) Work Programme 2021-2022 in which the Commission launched a call to support a single pan-European network of controlled artificial intelligence test sites for the agri-food sector. The resulting project, AgriFoodTEF, is underway with an investment of 60 million euros over the next 4 years in main nodes and satellite nodes deployed in nine member states (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden, in total 30 participating entities). The Spanish node joins this network and will be able to manage 2.5 million euros from the European Commission and another 2.5 million euros from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food over the coming years.
Initiatives such as this will accelerate the digital transformation and boost the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the agri-food sector.
This project has received co-funding from the European Union’s
Digital Europe Programme under grant agreement Nº 101100622.
Co-financed by the European Union and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.
The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Commission, or the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. Neither the European Union, the European Commission, nor the MAPA are responsible for them.
