BIOVEGEN, CAJAMAR, IAS-CSIC and IFAPA bring together more than 100 experts to talk about innovation in plant production

On March 13, 2018, the conference "Innovation as a business driver in plant production" was held, organized jointly by IFAPA, IAS-CSIC, CAJAMAR and BIOVEGEN. The event, which took place in the IFAPA Assembly Hall in Córdoba, brought together more than 100 professionals from the sector, including researchers, companies and funding entities.

The event served to show the new technological trends in plant biology and its possibilities, the added value that research brings to the economic activity of the private sector of plant production and how this can stimulate the private sector to undertake R&D activities and collaborations. with public research centers. Financing and assistance tools in the development of R&D projects were also shown, such as those offered by CDTI and the BIOVEGEN platform. 

Furthermore, in order to strengthen science-business relations and the development of R&D projects to enhance the competitiveness of the sector, attendees had the opportunity to mobilize R&D proposals and hold bilateral meetings with interested companies or researchers. Several meetings were also held with an expert from the CDTI (the main Spanish public agency for financing business R&D) with the aim of analyzing the innovation interests of the companies requesting the meeting.

Gallery

Program and presentations of the day

10:00 a.m. Welcome

• Jerónimo José Pérez Parra. IFAPA President
• Leonardo Velasco Varo. Director IAS-CSIC
• Carlos Fernández Sierra. Agri-Food Business Manager of Cajamar Caja Rural
• Gonzaga Ruiz de Gauna Gutiérrez. BIOVEGEN Platform Coordinator

Block I FINANCING

10:15 a.m. BIOVEGEN as a catalyst for R&D projects

• Gonzaga Ruiz de Gauna Gutiérrez. BIOVEGEN Coordinator

10:35 a.m. CDTI financing opportunities for companies in the plant production sector

• Carlos Franco Alonso. Department of Health, Bioeconomy, Climate and Natural Resources. CDTI

Block II APPLIED SCIENCE

10:50 a.m. «Beneficial microorganisms in agro-biotechnology»

• Jesus Mercado Blanco. IAS-CSIC

11:15 a.m. «Olive tree genetic improvement: achievements and perspectives»

• Lorenzo Leon Moreno. IFAPA Córdoba

11:40 a.m. Rest

Block III COMPANY

12:00 p.m. Examples of public-private collaboration in genetics and plant improvement

• Citrus fruits: CITRUSEQ-CITRUSGENN project. Carlos Baixauli Soria. Cajamar Caja Rural

• Improvement and innovation in crops José Pellicer. EUROSEEDS

• Development of biofertilizers from biowaste. José María Gómez Palacios. MAINLAND BIOMASS

• Olive. Manuel Cera Hermoso. TODOLIVO

• Rosebush. Jesus Antonio Moreno Ortega. CONTINENTAL PLANTS

• Garlic. Francisco Sánchez Müller. PROACO

1:30 p.m. Colloquium

1:45 p.m. Conclusions and closing