Tecnova reaches the record of European projects H2020

The Technology Center ends the year with 6 international R + D + i projects, 5 of them European H2020.

With the beginning of 2020, and since it began its activity, Tecnova has had as its main objective the development and international expansion of the Technology Center. Throughout this very particular year, Tecnova has made a strong commitment by joining the large European R&D consortiums.

The Tecnova Technological Center has 15 international projects. Those approved in this year 2020 will have a contribution of about one and a half million euros for the center. These are projects with companies and their own, 5 of them framed in the H2020 call.

H2020 a great challenge for social, industrial and scientific development

Five of the centre’s projects are part of the H2020 call, created to reinforce research and innovation at an international level, addressing three fundamental pillars, such as social challenges, industrial leadership (of which Tecnova is part) and scientific excellence.

In the CoRoSect project, framed in the H2020 call and led at Tecnova by the industrial design department, it proposes the creation of a cognitive robotic system for digitized insect farms. It is being carried out from the Industrial Development department, in which the possibilities of digitization and robotization of systems for the creation of farms are analyzed, 19 partners and 12 countries participate in the project, including Bulgaria, Serbia and Lithuania.

Virtigation is another of the international launches of the Technology Center, launched from Tecnova’s Plant Production department. The main objective of this project is the creation of strategies for the management of diseases in tomatoes and squash. It will be carried out by 25 partners from different 13 European countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, France, Israel, India, Morocco, …) united by the achievement of an effective solution to eradicate this type of disease.

Another project of great importance is Rústica, which follows another European project that Tecnova has recently executed and in which it has had a good consortium. Its objective is to promote the technical validation, demonstration and implementation of bio-based fertilizer production techniques and soil improvement focused on waste from the fruit and vegetable agri-food system to close nutrient cycles at the regional level, 8 countries participate in the project (Belgium , France, Italy, Colombia, the Netherlands,…) and 16 partners.

In projects in execution, approved in previous years, the Agrobofood project stands out, which aims to create a stable network of DIH centers and competence centers that support companies to introduce robotics in the agricultural sector. Tecnova as Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) within the Iberia region provides support to companies in the development of robotics applied to the agri-food sector. It has 39 partners and 16 countries participate (Germany, Greece, Portugal, Finland, UK, Serbia, …).

Another large European project in execution is the IOF, which seeks to apply IOT technologies in the different agri-food sectors of Europe, for this, experiments have been made to incorporate the technology to farmers and ranchers and reduce the digital gap. Implementations have been made from the beef, poultry, olive grove, stone fruit, cereals and horticulture sector, the project has 72 partners.

Finally, an international project with Haiti has been approved by AECID, called AQUAHAITI, where Tecnova is the leader and 2 more partners participate (CIDEAL and SOHADERK). It is a project developed by the greenhouse technology department to implement a pilot project that includes a greenhouse adapted to local conditions and an aquaponics system as a production model in Haiti. The implementation of the model entails an important training plan for Haitian farmers, with the aim of improving their knowledge on management of horticultural crops

For Mari Carmen Galera, General Director of Tecnova, the achievement of all these projects is the result of the work that Tecnova has been developing for many years to position itself among the main actors to develop R&D projects of interest to the agro-industrial sector and, for this , has been present in all the forums and meetings that have been held in Europe, actively participating in the expert committees. Undoubtedly, it has consolidated a project department under the guidance of its manager, Guadalupe López, achieving great success in the main consortiums in which it participates, giving extraordinary results since they are highly competitive calls at European level. Through the union of the different countries and companies, the exchange of experience and training between the different actors is achieved, a great source of knowledge for all members, encouraged by the cultural exchange in production and fruit and vegetable management.

Betting on economic and social development projects from different countries

Tecnova has a solid experience in the development and start-up of pilot projects and design of production models in different countries of the world that it has carried out in China, Morocco, Mexico, Egypt and Peru from the Greenhouse Technology department. Taking advantage of the fact that work had already begun advising Haitian farmers, this project has been launched to promote the productive model in Haiti for employment and the wealth of the territory. With it, the challenge of developing an aquaponic system mixed with a greenhouse crop is presented to improve food security and the situation of the agricultural sector.

Tecnova collaborates, in this project, with CIDEAL and SOHADERK in the growth of the rural community of Haiti towards the adoption of new more sustainable agricultural practices while allowing to increase productivity and reduce dependence on imports.

For the Director of Tecnova, Mari Carmen Galera, this project is a great opportunity from the economic and social point of view since it allows us to help a country lacking in resources and that see in technified agriculture a sustainable way of life and although not It is an easy country to work in. It is an interesting challenge due to the positive effects that our aid can cause, also helping our companies to approach countries that are more unknown to them. The year 2021 is presented as a great opportunity for business growth at an international level for the center and for the companies that are part of the cluster.