Climate change and the overexploitation of natural resources greatly affect food systems and water resources, which is why the drive to find new paths to sustainability is a priority in our sector.
To tackle environmental challenges through research and innovation, there are international programmes like PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area), an ambitious joint project undertaken within the framework of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
PRIMA aims to strengthen research, development and innovation capabilities to deal with issues such as water shortages, food safety, health and wellbeing, using innovative solutions for food systems.
This is the context in which the new project MEDITOMATO has been created, with Grupo La Caña participating and aiming to demonstrate technological and innovative solutions in three locations in the countries included in the PRIMA programme, covering the tomato value chain from production to processing and distribution, allowing the sectors and the farmers to make progress at different levels, with regard to the environment, food quality and safety, sustainability, resource management, etc.; therefore contributing to greater rural and social development of the food industry in the Mediterranean region.
We’re currently in the first stage of implementing the project, gathering data and information taking the ecosystem the cherry tomatoes are going to be grown in into account, the parameters for quality required by European regulations, as well as the product distribution chain – from the source to the consumer – to set the parameters using technological means such as sensor systems and vision techniques.
In addition to Grupo La Caña, MEDITOMATO includes Ingeniería y Control Electrónico S.A.; INYCOM; CNTA (National Centre of Technology and Food Safety) and IK4-TEKNIKER. The other consortium partners are Future Intelligence Ltd (Greece), Wuppertal Institute (Germany), ARCA 2010 a.r.l Soc.Coop. (Italy), Institut National de Recherche en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts (Tunesia), Bursa Uludag University (Turkey), and Diadikasia Business Consulting S.A. (Greece).
Feature:
Environmental challenges can only be tackled through research and innovation.
