University of Almeria

Almeria’s farming sector in face on COVID-19

Juan Reca Cardeña / CIAIMBITAL director
Carlos Herrero Sánchez / Research Projects manager at CIAIMBITAL

Over the last months, we have live through an exceptional and unheard of situation: the global emergence and expansion of a pandemic that has created a medical crisis without precedent and has put the economies to an almost complete stop due to the quarantine and social distancing regulations implemented. Most sectors of the economy have been strongly affected by a crisis that has showcased the strengths, and specially the weaknesses, of each of them.

The credibility and soundness of Almeria’s fruit and vegetable sector has been strengthened through its role in guaranteeing the EU’s food safety standards. This victory is thanks to the effort that from the first day has been made towards research and development, both in coming up with innovative solutions and in applying that knowledge in the field, which finally resulted in Almeria leading a revolution and becoming a role model for the entire world. And it is precisely the application of those technologies and innovations what is allowing the sector to be prepared to adapt and face the coming challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The urgency to leave the COVID crisis behind should not drive us to think only on the short term and forget the lessons that we should interiorize for the long run. Undoubtedly COVID-19 will pass, but it is imperative that we understand that the system is not infallible and that new pandemics can arise in the future with similar consequences that put the sector again under medical emergency.

Now it is more important than ever to keep the path of research and innovation in terms of food safety so that we become more competitive if another crisis in the future affects the supply chain, while also giving strength to the Almeria Model as a competitive production system for markets and competitors. The key is to turn the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to strengthen the image of Almeria’s farming as a synonym for quality and safety in the eyes of European consumers.

CIAIMBITAL boasts several Research Teams of international renown focused on each and every area of knowledge.

There are many aspects to deal with in order to be prepared for future crises of medical and global nature. We need to be able to prove that Almeria holds safety protocols that guarantee the entire supply chain - from producer to consumer - is free of pathogen sources and transfer. Setting up these protocols would mean to guarantee the food and production safety of and for our farmers and employees as well as for the end consumer. Different disinfection systems will have to be tested quickly and with flexibility, so as to make sure of the products’ safety. Finally, we should not forget about the development of online sale systems, whose growth rate increased substantially during the pandemic. We need to be able to guarantee that Almeria’s fruit and vegetable supply chain offers the highest safety in face of future medical crises in comparison to countries that may have not answered this challenge as swiftly and efficiently.

It is clear that a new global crisis, as a challenge of the greatest magnitude, can’t be faced without a strong commitment towards research and development. The University of Almeria and its associated project the Research Center in Agri-foodstuffs Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL) both understand that great challenges require a multiplicity of interdisciplinary approaches that can connect the advancements in different fields. The Unversity of Almeria’s Research Center in Agri-foodstuffs Biotechnology has the advantage of being able to tackle innovation considering the entire supply chain, boasting several Research Teams of international renown focused on each and every area of knowledge implicated, from the seed to the end consumer. This multidisciplinary approach is precisely our strongest asset when facing deeply transversal challenges, like that of a global medical crisis.

COVID-19 will pass, but we need its lesson learnt: innovating in agriculture is the only way to stand out, to be competitive at a global scale and to assure the socioeconomic development of our province.