Galicia Commits to Agri-Food Innovation with the agrifoodTEF Project

The initiative, which brings a total investment of 1.5 million euros to Galicia, aims to digitally transform the Galician agri-food sector through advanced technologies.

Innovation in five key sectors: arable farming, livestock, horticulture, tree crops, and food processing.

This morning, the Agricultural Research Center of Mabegondo (CIAM) hosted the presentation of the project in Galicia. Organized by AGACAL, Gradiant, and DATAlife, this event marked an important step towards the digital transformation of the Galician agri-food industry, focusing on sustainability and efficiency through advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

For the development of agrifoodTEF, 60 million euros will be allocated across the European Union over the next four years, involving nine Member States and 30 entities. Spain will receive 5 million euros, funded equally by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food and the European Commission; while Galicia will receive just over 1.5 million euros. The objective is to accelerate the market arrival of digital solutions that incorporate disruptive technologies. The Agricultural Research Center of Mabegondo will become a reference facility at the European level for testing and validating technologies applied to the dairy sector.

The event was inaugurated by Manuel López Luaces, Director of the Agricultural Training, Innovation, and Research area at AGACAL; Luis Pérez Freire, General Director of Gradiant; and Lucía Castro Díaz, Manager of DATAlife, who highlighted the transformative role of the project, positioning Galicia on the European map of the Agrotech sector. Additionally, the event offered the opportunity for bilateral meetings, where companies could explore how to benefit from the free services offered by agrifoodTEF. Finally, a visit was made to the CIAM facilities to see firsthand how these technologies can be implemented in real-world environments.

Galician Participation in the Project

Each entity contributes its expertise and capabilities to make Galicia a benchmark in agri-food innovation:

• AGACAL (Galician Agency for Food Quality) ensures that technologies are tailored to the sector’s needs, improving the quality and traceability of Galician products.
• Gradiant, the most important technological center in Galicia and one of the main ones in Spain, offers its expertise in AI and robotics to develop and validate solutions that optimize automation and efficiency in agricultural processes.
• DATAlife, as a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), promotes collaboration between companies and sectors to accelerate the adoption of disruptive technologies. It will also help ensure that tested solutions reach European markets.

“DATAlife will introduce the agrifoodTEF project to other EDIHs dedicated to the agri-food sector, providing a connection between two key initiatives of the Digital Europe program. Additionally, the Hub’s proximity to Galician startups will give them access to the European network of facilities, with the internationalization opportunities that this represents,” says Lucía Castro Díaz.

“The Galician Agency for Food Quality, through the Agricultural Research Center of Mabegondo, provides companies with the infrastructure and knowledge needed to test and validate technological solutions for the field,” according to CIAM’s Director, Abelardo Nimo.

“At Gradiant, we bring our know-how by offering services that integrate AI, Big Data, IoT, 5G, and unmanned autonomous vehicles into the dairy sector, positioning us as leaders in AI-based solutions. In this instance, we also provide support to companies that wish to test their products as part of a European initiative that allocates 60 million euros to boost the agri-food sector. This applied R&D aims to make the primary sector more competitive and foster the growth of new intermediaries in the ‘agrotech’ field, facilitating rapid development and projection in Europe,” says Luis Pérez, General Director of the technology center.

Key Sectors of the Project

AgrifoodTEF focuses on five key sectors where AI and robotics-based solutions can transform the agri-food industry:

• Arable Farming: Technologies such as selective weeding and geofencing optimize the use of autonomous machinery, reducing reliance on traditional inputs.
• Tree Crops: AI solutions improve the efficient use of resources such as fertilizers and water in olive groves and orchards.
• Horticulture: AI balances nutrients and ensures the quality and yield of crops.
• Livestock: Applications that improve sustainability in animal breeding, including cows, pigs, and poultry, are implemented.
• Food Processing: Traceability and food safety technologies strengthen the supply chain, ensuring safer and more sustainable products.

Success Stories

Some of the solutions that have already been tested and validated at agrifoodTEF facilities include:

• Optimization of resources in crops. In Mediterranean regions, AI is helping to optimize the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water in orchards and olive groves, ensuring greater sustainability and productivity.
• Smart livestock. AI solutions improve livestock management, reducing environmental impact and enhancing the efficiency of organic food production.
• Traceability in the supply chain. Technologies that enable greater traceability of food from its origin to the final consumer, improving food safety and consumer confidence.