Interview with Josep Usall i Rodié, Director General, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA)

16 Jan Interview with Josep Usall i Rodié, Director General, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA)

What factors have driven Catalonia’s agrifoods sector growth?

Catalonia’s agrifood is the region’s largest industrial sector, surpassing even the chemical and automotive industries. With an annual turnover of around €50 billion, it has a strong export capacity, including meat, fruits and by-products.

This success can be attributed to several key factors. First, Catalonia has a rich agricultural history in food production and commercialization. Despite its small size, it is highly industrialized. Second, significant investments in technology, particularly in recent years, have led to the development of efficient value chains that produce high-quality food at competitive prices, making us strong players on the global stage. Lastly, Catalonia has focused on fostering knowledge creation to drive innovation in the sector for many years.

How is IRTA using innovations to revolutionize the agrifood sector?

In our efforts to support the agri-food sector and boost its competitiveness, we have recognized the vital role of emerging technologies. Digitalization, artificial intelligence, and other innovations have been central to our work for years. For instance, we developed “digital twins,” virtual crop models that optimize water usage – an essential aspect in the face of climate change. By combining AI and satellite imagery, we can determine the precise water requirements for crops. Another challenge is the adoption of these technologies by the primary sector, which often finds them hard to implement. To overcome this, we provide training and support through experimental farms, applying technologies in real contexts and helping farmers learn how to use them effectively.

Our goal is to integrate breakthroughs throughout the entire value chain. Given the importance of the livestock industry in Catalonia, we also focus on utilizing tools such as sensors and robotics to monitor animal welfare and enhance systems for food traceability and safety, all while minimizing environmental impact.

What sustainability solutions is IRTA developing to address environmental challenges?

Sustainability is at the core of our work. To address climate change, we’re developing new crop varieties that are more resistant to changing conditions. For example, in collaboration with New Zealand and Catalan companies, we launched a breeding program focused on developing apple and pear varieties that can tolerate higher temperatures and use less water.

We’ve already brought the first variety to market, a late-harvest apple named Tutti. This year, we’re introducing Stellar, which is harvested earlier, resistant to climate change, and has a crisp texture and red color. This program is the only one of its kind focused on warm climates, while similar initiatives target colder regions.

What role has Catalonia’s R&D ecosystem played in driving innovation in the agrifoods sector?

Catalonia’s strong commitment to research has created an outstanding R&D ecosystem, particularly in the agrifood sector. This year marks the 40th anniversary of IRTA, which was uniquely founded by a parliamentary law, bringing together various small research centers into one major institute. Today, IRTA is the largest research center in Catalonia and Spain’s leading institution in the agri-food sector, with over 1,000 professionals working here.

Our mission is to collaborate closely with the production sector, maintaining a strong presence across the region and partnering directly with key industry players to drive technological advancements. Each year, we carry out over 700 technology transfer activities, promoting the creation and sharing of knowledge.

How important are international partnerships in addressing global agrifood challenges?

Global partnerships are essential in tackling agricultural challenges. Recently, we hosted the Vice President of the University of California, responsible for its agricultural division. We’ve been collaborating with them for over 30 years, working on joint efforts like water management, pest control, and digitalization. California and Catalonia share similar climate challenges, making this collaboration even more crucial.

We also have a long-standing partnership with New Zealand, particularly in genetic improvement programs for fruit crops. Additionally, we maintain close relationships with Latin American countries, especially Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Sharing knowledge and expertise through international collaboration is essential to advancing agricultural research and innovation.

What is your long-term vision for IRTA’s future and the challenges ahead?

IRTA has developed a 2024-2027 strategic plan to position us for the challenges of 2030. To create it, we began by understanding the key issues facing the agri-food sector. We conducted interviews with industry leaders and policymakers worldwide to gather insights into the sector’s future direction. These discussions helped us identify major challenges – climate change, digitalization, and resource reutilization – and outline the necessary steps to address them effectively.

Talent acquisition and infrastructure investment are key priorities. We plan to recruit 50 new researchers in the coming years, strengthening our capacity to integrate emerging technologies. We’ve invested nearly €40 million in new facilities, including biosecurity infrastructure, and are advancing projects like “digital twins,” alternative protein innovation centers, and solar energy systems.

By 2030, we aim to address challenges like climate change, sustainability, digitalization, and generational renewal. However, attracting young talent to the agri-food sector remains a challenge, and we need to make the sector more dynamic to overcome this.

How is Catalonia positioning itself to tackle the growing global food demand while ensuring sustainability?

In my education, which took place in the United States and New Zealand, I gained a global perspective on the challenges facing the agri-food sector. Our growing population requires more food, but we are already exceeding planetary limits.

Technology will play a crucial role, but it won’t solve everything. We need to explore alternative protein sources such as algae, microbial fermentation, and insects. While animal protein will remain important, water reuse and regenerative agriculture are also key strategies. We must restore soils and minimize waste by using byproducts for energy production, as circularity will drive the future of agriculture.

How people can help address the challenges in the agri-food sector and protect the planet through their food choices?

My answer centers on personal awareness. When we eat, we’re doing much more than simply nourishing our bodies. Food has historically been a central part of our lives, but we’ve gradually lost the culture of eating well. Today, many of us aren’t feeding ourselves in a way that supports our health or well-being.

We can, however, eat healthily at a reasonable cost if we learn to consume food wisely. Education plays a key role in this, particularly in understanding the Mediterranean diet, which provides all the necessary elements for balanced nutrition: more fruits and vegetables, fewer processed foods, and a wholesome approach to eating. But achieving this requires not only education but also time and intention.

By making healthier food choices and reducing food waste, we don’t just benefit ourselves–  we also reduce our environmental footprint. A simple yet impactful step is prioritizing seasonal products. This is a habit we’ve largely let go of in favor of expecting the same foods year-round. Yet, we should return to consuming foods in their natural seasons, which benefits both our health and the planet.

A healthy diet doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. By making conscious choices, we can ensure that future generations continue to have access to nutritious and sustainable food.