The first European visit by the Latin American Network of Bioeconomy aimed to identify cooperation possibilities with the Bioeconomy Hub of Catalonia (BioHubCat). The visit has concluded generating a network consolidation through different areas and topics where bridges of collaboration are possible. The Latin American Network spent a week in Lleida, learning about innovative experiences in the territory, debating and sharing working days, and participating in different activities.
The network’s delegation that traveled to Spain was made up of government authorities, university representatives, and specialists from public and private institutions from Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. Hugo Chavarría, IICA’s Hemisférico de Innovación y Bioeconomia Program manager, current secretary of this network, and leader of the European mission, has emphasized the strengths of being associated with BIOHUBCAT and the importance acquired by this newly created network:
“We were right two years ago when we made the decision to associate and work together. This mission is proof of that, as well as of the high level achieved; we received an invitation from the Catalan government, which is one of the European territories with the greatest progress in the bioeconomy, not only to get to know each other, but mainly because there is interest in establishing areas of cooperation. In other words, the network is useful, is strategic, and allows us to work together on opportunities, synergies and alliances. As private individuals this would not have been possible”.
IDENTIFYING COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES
The mission’s agenda began on Tuesday, September 24, with a visit to the Food Research and Technology Institute (IRTA), where they were received by the plant production area manager, Rosa Altisent; then they continued to Alcarràs Bioproductors to get to know up close the impetus that 150 livestock families have given to the first bio-industrial estate in Catalonia; and they ended up in Solsona, at the Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia, where they were guided by the deputy director, Francisco Cano.
On Wednesday September 25th, a complete workshop was held between the Latin American network and authorities and those responsible for bioeconomy initiatives in Catalonia, a day that was co-organized with BIOHUBCAT and took place in the Agrobiotech of Lleida Park’s facilities. The welcome introduction was delivered by local authorities, the University of Lleida, and the Science Park.
The work sessions were moderated by Luis Morán, IICA technical coordinator and specialist in agribusiness, with the aim of identifying opportunities for alliances, projects, events and/or synergies for joint work. There was a debate around the initiatives: “Transformative Innovation Policy, Shared Agendas and Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS3), presented by the head of the Economic Strategy Area of the Government of Catalonia; “Bioeconomy Strategy of Catalonia 2030 and the First Action Plan (2022-2024), led by the technical cabinet of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia; “The G-10: the creation of a solid institutional alliance for the economic transformation of the Lands of Lleida, Pyrenees and Aran”, by the Provincial Council of Lleida; the same BioHubCat -Hub of the Bioeconomy of Catalonia, presented by Víctor Falguera, general coordinator of this hub; and “The impetus of the bioeconomy in cooperatives” where Domènec Vila, from the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Catalonia, presented reference projects.
Víctor Falguera emphasized that receiving the Latin American mission in Catalonia has allowed BIOHUBCAT to move towards a joint path to learn, practice and share: “we learn from what is done in other places, and about how we can adapt and apply it – it in Catalonia to support the development of our bioeconomy and our companies, and at the same time be able to transfer this knowledge. The bioeconomy has its challenges, but the more of us there are and the more interconnected we will be around the world, the more possibilities there will be to advance”.