The aim of the meeting was to bring together key actors of Andalusia to start working on how to improve the current Andalusia ERDF 2014-2020 Operational Programme to encourage and facilitate digitisation of the agri-food sector and support ICT companies in their search for technological and digital solutions for agro-industries.

Membership of this group includes representatives from IDEA/Andalusia Agency of Innovation and Development (responsible for Andalusia RIS3 coordination), the Regional Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Entrepreneurship and University (DG Digital Economy and Innovation and the Andalusia Agency of Knowledge, responsible for the Andalusia Digital Agenda), Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA), and several units of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development.

Esperanza Perea on behalf of the Andalusia Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development gave a general overview of REGIONS 4 FOOD project, its objectives and the link with the S3P Agri-food on Traceability and Big Data to which all partners belong to.

In addition, intermediate results of the implementation of two technologies were presented: 

  • Mapping of needs and barriers to digitisation of the agri-food sector through surveys, interviews and meetings with key quadruple helix actors. 
  • Spatial-relational mapping in Andalusia to better know the spaces of innovation in digitisation of the agri-food sector and raise new patterns of relationship to emphasize the convergence of agri-food sector actors. 
  • Release of first results of the diagnosis about existing data and technologies in the agri-food sector in Andalusia that will make it possible to draw conclusions and give recommendations to make the most of data and technologies. 

And finally, partners discussed about the identification of Andalusia regional best practices to be transferred to other regions at later stages of the project which is one of the key actions of REGIONS 4FOOD.