Spanish consortium drives research into the application of AI in the agrifood production chain

A Spanish consortium of 24 public-private organizations led by GMV within the framework of the Digital Spain Agenda 2025 and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, is setting up the AgrarIAproject with the ambitious aim of investigating the applicability and viability of artificial intelligence (AI) together with other Industry 4.0-related technologies in real solutions to define new agricultural production methods that will make Spain’s agrifood sector more technological, innovative, sustainable and committed to energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction in the future, so the consortium says in a press release.

The project is funded through the funds of the Recovery, Resilience and Transformation Plan. The scope of the project focuses on two strategic lines for the future development of the sector, on the one hand on research in the complete value chain of agricultural production through systems governed by artificial intelligence with the objectives of drastic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂), sustainability, energy efficiency and improvement of productivity and competitiveness. On the other hand, in research on the application of the use of different technologies and artificial intelligence in the most efficient and carbon neutral way. 

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The project contemplates the development of the AgrarIA platform. Here, all the models and components required in the value chain of the agricultural sector—production, transformation and distribution—can be integrated in a single decoupled computing entity. Allowing the definition of process flows that are integrated with AI technologies necessary for their development. As well as other digital enabling technologies to deploy unique initiatives or specific use cases that favor a fast, efficient, productive and sustainable transformation of the sector in the medium term.

The AgrarIA project will be able to contribute significant value to the generation of relevant changes in the socioeconomic structure of Spain through the intensive use of AI, strengthening competitiveness through various R&D activities throughout the project related not only to AI, but to practically all digital enabling technologies, thus enabling not only the development of new business models, but also the transformation of the agricultural sector, making it more productive, efficient and sustainable.

Foto: Farmer using digital tablet control robot to harvesting tomatoes in agriculture industry, Agriculture technology smart farm concept. Foto; AgrarIA.