Three round-table discussions examine various aspects of the agri-food sector in the Comunitat Valenciana, with all participants highlighting the lack of a new generation of farmers

The FPRJ and Cajamar have organised “Territorio Agroalimentario”, a conference dedicated to the agri-food system, its vision, new food models and regional implications in the Comunitat Valenciana

The conference dedicated to “Territorio Agroalimentario” took place, with Cajamar’s president, Eduardo Baamonde, opening the session to discuss the system in general and warning “in the face of the disappearance, day by day, of more and more farms”

As a result of the collaboration between the Fundación Valenciana Premios Rei Jaume I and the Cajamar Cooperative Group, this conference took place. Following the address by the president of Cajamar, three panel discussions analysed various agri-food aspects in the Comunitat Valenciana.

Eduardo Baamonde emphasised that the Valencian and Spanish agri-food sectors have significant opportunities that must be seized. “We have a favourable climate, competitive businesses and farmers, and we ensure food security. We must capitalise on all these factors not through short-term management, but through governance that looks to the future and contributes to the creation of value,” he explained.

The president of Cajamar also stated that, given the growth of the world’s population, demand for European agri-food products will rise in the coming years. On this point, he warned that “in the Comunitat Valenciana, the agri-food sector has been managed exceptionally well, although it is true that more and more farms are disappearing every day. There are companies and co-operatives that need to stop and reflect on the long term. Ninety-nine per cent of agri-food businesses are micro-enterprises and SMEs that must balance legal requirements with those arising from climate change, and to do so they will need good strategists.” In this regard, Baamonde pointed out that, whilst the agri-food sector is highly competitive, it must do more to ensure profitability. “Knowledge is the key to profitability. Positioning oneself internationally in the market and promoting digitalisation is now essential for production, marketing and growth,” she concluded.

Three panel discussions rounded off the day’s proceedings. The first focused on the “Agri-food vision for the region in the Valencian Community”, with contributions from the following specialists: Inmaculada Marco, Director-General for Industry and the Agri-food Chain; Juan José Rico, innovation officer at Fedacova, who addressed his sector’s responsibilities—such as preventing food waste—and spoke about generational renewal, consumers, strengthening the role of women within the supply chains, as well as sustainability.

Rico also explained some of the work Fedacova is currently undertaking, such as studies into the microbiome – which could lead to personalised diets for each individual – reducing the use of plastics, food preservation, independence in raw materials, energy efficiency, the recovery of agri-food waste, and retaining talent through training. And, finally, the carbon footprint in the marketing of products. The Fedacova representative also warned against the influx of investment funds, because “decisions will not be made by people from the local community, and this must be reversed; decisions regarding these funds should be taken by the funds themselves, but led by people from the local community”, he urged.

For his part, Eduardo Rojas Briales, Dean of the College of Forestry Engineers, explained the functions of rural areas and stated that the world’s primary biodegradable energy source is forest biomass. Among the challenges, he states that the urban population’s profound disconnection from its rural roots is key to tackling the climate crisis, environmental policy designed in the 1970s to minimise the negative external effects of industrial pollution, the debate over the European law on environmental restoration, and managing excess biomass; he advised “thinning out any excess growth in the woodlands to prevent forest fires.” Among the possible solutions, she proposes reviving extensive agriculture in woodland as a means of fire prevention – for example, reviving vine cultivation in woodland, creating synergies in greenhouses fitted with solar panels, and heat networks using agricultural, forestry or garden biomass.”

 Regina Monsalve, an engineer and manager at Natuvera, addressed the issue of entrepreneurs, businesses and cooperatives, and criticised the poor legislation in the Comunitat Valenciana that hinders entrepreneurship. Monsalve explained that, in her view, “the keys to entrepreneurship are: autonomy, being in tune with nature, and asking ourselves whether we want money or quality time”. She also stressed that “we need committed people who are willing to work”, whilst warning of the shortage of farmers due to a lack of generational succession.

At the second round-table, dedicated to “New Food Models”, Vicente Faro, chair of the Valencian Community’s organic farming committee, spoke. He denied any disagreements or conflicts amongst farmers and highlighted the involvement of young people in organic farming, as well as the high proportion of women, “now close to 30 per cent” who are involved in the sector.

 Carmen Montoro, deputy director of organic production and quality, explained the new food models: sustainability, quality and tradition, as well as trust, transparency and simplicity.

 Enrique Torrente, a member of COIVAL and AERYD, discussed robotisation and digitalisation, stating that “we need technological skills. It is impossible for the most modern technology—the latest-generation drone—to be capable of making decisions in real time or to apply dosages in real time. That is why we must keep emphasising and raising awareness.” Torrente emphasised that “it is normal for big data to take an interest in agriculture, but for agriculture to be ready for big data is unrealistic.” And regarding AI, he warned that “we are losing our sense of humanity. Technology has created unmet expectations that, in agriculture, are unrealistic.

Finally, Miguel Villanueva, marketing director at Hispatec, took the floor to discuss smart management models. For Villanueva, “we must digitise agriculture to make it more sustainable. What cannot be measured cannot be improved. The digital transformation of agriculture aims to systematise data collection as much as possible, enabling us to be more sustainable. This allows us to know the cost per kilo for every plot of every variety, from each package to every destination, in real time: Integration, Intelligence and Impact – the three ‘i’s’ to be achieved.

The third and final panel was devoted to ‘Regional Issues’, featuring Cristóbal Aguado, president of AVA-ASAJA, who expressed concern about new foods that are ‘invented as substitutes’ and stated that ‘intelligence and automation are necessary, but must be done judiciously. Agriculture, with far fewer people, is capable of feeding the world.” Aguado called for “all farmers to understand that they must be affiliated to a farmers’ association to channel their voices in the same direction.” He acknowledged “the streamlined bureaucracy and the way in which new technologies are reaching the countryside”, but expressed deep disillusionment with the EU institutions and the CAP, towards which he had harsh words, as well as with European Commissioner Timmermans, whose actions, he claimed, “will have serious consequences for the Spanish countryside and the Valencian countryside in particular.” Aguado protested “that we have not taken the technological and administrative measures demanded of us and, on top of that, we have received no support from our governments.” Aguado spoke of the very serious problems “in protecting the health of our plants, because they are taking away materials (fertilisers) that they used to allow us to use, whilst at the same time allowing other fruit to come from outside Europe containing the very chemicals they deny to Spanish farmers. “They’re putting us on the ropes,” he said angrily.

The AVA representative called for “strengthening the agricultural sector’s defences” and complained that “we can no longer send clementines with seeds to schools with young children because they’ll end up hating them, and there are a thousand other problems like that.” He also spoke of the lack of a new generation of farmers and the labour shortage, and referred specifically to the current overpopulation of wildlife in the Comunitat Valenciana.

 Carles Peris, secretary of the Unió LLauradora, acknowledged that they try to maintain contact with everyone – all political parties and all levels of government – and called for elections in the Valencian countryside. Peris also highlighted issues such as the lack of a new generation of farmers and the decline in agricultural production, concluding: “We are an essential sector, but we do not have food self-sufficiency within the EU, and international factors have destabilised us.”

 Finally, Fernando Marco, director of the Cooperativa de Viver in Castellón, spoke about the success of his co-operative as food producers, highlighting the common drivers of change found in any business project, and stated that “companies are not big or small; they are fast or slow”.

The first panel was moderated by Patricia García-Guzmán, manager of ECYS and a patron of the FPRJI; the second by José Manuel Enríquez, manager of Agri-Food and Cooperative Business at Cajamar in the Valencia Regional Office; and the third and final panel was moderated by Elena Picó, secretary of COIAL and deputy director of agricultural structures.

The conference was opened by the Regional Secretary of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Javier Bartolomé, who spoke in favour of “the 23 quality labels we have, which will be the focus of our continued work”.