Operational Groups are groups of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds—such as farmers, ranchers, foresters, agri-food or forestry industries, public or private R&D and development training and advisory centers, technology centers, or non-profit institutions—who partner with each other to develop an innovative solution to solve a problem or enhance an opportunity. The working system in these groups is always joint and multisectoral.

The objective of the 14 dossiers is to showcase innovative initiatives and facilitate the exchange of knowledge from the research field to practical application. This is especially true in an environment, such as rural areas, where access to science has traditionally been more difficult to achieve.

Dossiers

The 6 dossiers published by the RRN , of the total of 14 publications planned, cover the following topics:

1. Irrigation ; On February 13, 2020, the National Research Council (NRN) organized an exchange of innovation projects on this topic, attended by more than 60 people. The event analyzed the importance of irrigation in the agricultural sector, given that the irrigated land area in Spain accounts for 29% of the total EU area.

2. Organic farming ; The exchange of innovation projects on this topic took place on February 25, 2020, and was attended by 70 people. The event explored the importance of organic farming in Spain, given that Spain leads the European Union in organic farming .

3. Animal Health ; This workshop took place virtually on May 12, 2020, with 90 stakeholders participating. It examined regulations on antimicrobial resistance and the application of biosecurity techniques, specifically in extensive livestock farming, where the use of communal pastures is noted, hindering progress toward more sustainable livestock farming.

4. Plant Health ; The specialized teams met on June 3, 2020, in a virtual meeting of 60 people. The development of national phytosanitary legislation and the transposition of European legislation were analyzed. In addition, the work on the development of Integrated Pest Management Guidelines, which serve as guidance for farmers in crop management, was highlighted.

5. Improvement in the Agri-Food Industries; Some 90 researchers in this field responded to the RRN's virtual conference on June 16, 2020. It was noted that the agri-food industry is developing new food preservation techniques , which allow for greater food safety . This facilitates the sector's opening to new markets , maintaining the organoleptic characteristics of foods, and increasing the competitiveness of the Spanish agri-food industry.

6. Fertilization ; This topic was covered virtually on July 8, 2020, by 60 specialists in the field. The event highlighted the progress made in new techniques for achieving more sustainable fertilizers, which also allow for the reuse of biological waste, which is a commitment to the circular economy.

Innovation

Innovation is a cross-cutting priority of rural development policy in the 2014-2020 programming period. The main instrument for promoting and accelerating innovation in rural areas is the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-agri). The EIP-agri aims to accelerate innovation in the agri-food and forestry sectors, and therefore in rural areas, as well as the dissemination and promotion of successful experiences in the region through specific innovative projects.

At the same time, other policies are being developed in the European context, with which synergies emerge in the commitment to innovation in rural areas. These include, among others, projects and thematic networks under Horizon 2020, a research framework program that covers topics related to the agri-food and forestry sectors.