Interview with Òscar Ordeig i Molist, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food

16 Jan Interview with Òscar Ordeig i Molist, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food

What are the government’s top priorities for advancing Catalonia’s agrifoods sector in 2025?

Agrifoods is Catalonia’s leading industry and is on track to achieve record-breaking exports in 2024. The new government aims to position Catalonia as one of the top agrifoods regions in Europe and around the world. Looking ahead, we have identified three main priorities to address current challenges such as climate change, droughts, rising raw material costs driven by global conflicts and the urgent need to reduce food waste. Our first priority focus is on innovation and knowledge. Catalonia hosts the largest food research center in the region, and we must continue to leverage this resource and share knowledge within the agrifoods industry. Our second priority is education and talent development. Investing in young talent is essential, as is strengthening our universities and training centers. Catalonia currently has 15 technical agricultural training schools, and we aim to align all educational institutions with the professional profiles and technical skills required to transform and modernize the local sector in the coming years. Our third priority is infrastructure. The 2025 budget allocates the largest economic resources to irrigation infrastructure, and this will continue under our five-year plan. We are launching a comprehensive irrigation modernization plan for 2025 to 2040 involving major upgrades to all irrigation systems in Catalonia within 15 years. While some areas already use highly efficient systems powered by artificial intelligence controlled through mobile devices, others still rely on outdated methods. Climate change and droughts will continue to worsen, and those who fail to modernize irrigation systems will struggle to remain viable.

This plan also includes implementing advanced technologies to reuse treated wastewater from cities and desalinate seawater for agricultural purposes — solutions already successfully adopted in countries like Israel and Australia. Catalonia has the knowledge and potential to become a hub for companies providing technological solutions to these pressing challenges. We have demonstrated that water scarcity is not just a resource issue but a technological and energy challenge. Furthermore, we must develop hydraulic and technological infrastructure and provide the necessary equipment to address productivity challenges. Catalonia’s agrifoods sector currently faces a productivity problem; increasing efficiency through advanced technological processes is crucial to remain competitive in the global market.

What key competitive advantages set Catalonia’s agrifoods sector apart on the global stage?

For the past four years, we have had a commercial surplus in the agrifoods sector, a stark contrast to the trade deficits we had until 1999. Since then, agrifoods exports have skyrocketed, primarily driven by meat exports. Catalonia is one of the few places in the world where meat is produced in a competitive and sustainable manner across the entire value chain — from animal breeding, nutrition, veterinary care, slaughter and meat processing to commercialization. Products like wine, meat, ham and olive oil are extremely important for us. We are also one of the largest distributors of truffles, a gourmet product and expensive delicacy that grows in the roots of trees and is only produced in Spain and Italy. We also export saffron, another unique product. We offer great prices for final products, with excellent quality and flavor.

The administration and businesses in Catalonia aim to be recognized globally for our high-quality, healthy and safe food products. When an importer from the USA buys products from Catalonia, they are guaranteed professionalism, security and reliability. Our mentality is open and export oriented. We aim to associate our territory with quality products and focus more on quality than quantity. We are working across all departments of the Catalan government, including those associated with universities, economy, business and agriculture to create joint platforms to reach strategic markets, particularly the American market. We also minimize water consumption and food waste. Almost every part of the animal is used, leaving minimal waste. Additionally, we ensure low energy consumption, with a significant portion coming from renewable sources. People from all over the world visit us to learn about our meat value chain. This approach has allowed us to export to nearly every part of the world. Catalonia’s agrifood exports command substantial economic weight and exert a notable influence on the global market.

What actions is the government taking to address the growing need for talent and innovation in the agrifoods sector?

We have a working group called the Catalan Council for Agri-Food Innovation that brings together representatives from universities, technological centers, businesses and producer organizations to define innovation and training policies. We determine our direction, the profiles we will need, the technologies to focus on and the types of products to prioritize. We also establish strategic actions for the industry. Within this framework, we plan training offerings to prepare talent for the needs of tomorrow. We also collaborate with public institutions and universities to support upskilling across the food production value chain; we all sit down together as a working group. We benefit immensely from this collaboration, especially due to the diverse strategies of our large agrifoods companies from different parts of the world.

It is imperative we avoid presenting an outdated view of the sector. There is a common belief that the agricultural sector lacks a future. By 2050, the world will need to produce 60% more food because the global population will reach 10 billion people. This will be driven by the growing purchasing power of countries like China and India and emerging continents like Africa. To meet this immense need, we must produce more with fewer resources, which can only be achieved through new technologies that allow for greater efficiencies. Technology in food production is at its nascent stage, with huge advancements expected in food preservation, nutritional value, alternative proteins and climate-resilient seeds. There are endless paths ahead for producing more and better, and those that possess knowledge will lead the way. We must also train talent to support the production of more food with fewer resources. We are learning from countries like Ireland and the Netherlands. They are very advanced and act as excellent examples. The Netherlands, for instance, has one of the best agrifoods universities in the world, and we use them as a benchmark.

What strategies is the government implementing to cut carbon footprints and deal with challenges associated with climate change?

Our strategy is clear: we must reduce water consumption, minimize waste and increase the use of renewable energy. Catalonia currently lags behind the rest of Spain in terms of renewable energy, and we need to accelerate our efforts. To meet our goal of being a national leader in this technology and having the highest percentage of electricity consumption from renewable sources, we need to plan our territory effectively and be bold in our thinking. Not everyone will be on board right away. We must listen, plan and execute, with the latter step being something we have yet to fully achieve.

Water is a critical issue. In Catalonia, 70% of water consumption comes from the agrifoods sector. We cannot manage water efficiently and reduce our carbon footprint without modernizing the irrigation system. Additionally, one-third of food produced is wasted globally, and solving this is critical to meet global needs by 2050. There are financial aid programs, and Spain has a law aimed at reducing food waste in the industry and across the sector. When it comes to proximity, we need to do two things: strengthen the competitiveness of small family-run farms with subsidies and administrative simplification measures and support the consumption of local products. This is compatible with fostering international trade. Catalonia does not want to close itself off or limit our production capacity by depending 100% on external sources. We cannot be self-sufficient in everything.  Our strategy involves implementing a rule in Catalonia that 50% of public food purchases by the government, hospitals and schools must come from local producers. This will help reduce our carbon footprint while strengthening and securing small-scale producers by grouping them together to create a stronger position. We need to tailor different policies for different territories and types of farms.

What major hurdles does Catalonia face in the adoption of new technologies?

A key challenge for the food sector and large companies is having technological companies, startups, knowledge centers and businesses apply new knowledge to the production process. We will fail if new technologies and tools do not reach small, medium and large businesses. Small businesses often lack resources or the right mindset. In this case, the administration must innovate. Universities generate a great deal of knowledge but often fail in technology transfer or applying this knowledge in businesses. We dedicate around $103 million to cultural development and technology transfer policies. We publish and generate knowledge, but it is a challenge. We are ahead of the curve in generating publications but lag behind in applying technology to the production process; it is our missing piece.

How receptive is the government to partnerships with US and international businesses for expanding agrifood capacities?

We are open to sharing experieces and creating spaces for dialogue between importers and exporters in the United States and Catalonia. Our companies are present at all international trade fairs around the world, and we are active in defending and promoting the exchange of ideas and knowledge in all our interactions around the world. We are fortunate to have a very dynamic sector that is making productive investments worldwide. We are open to establishing contacts with academia, institutions and businesses in the United States. We have a vision, an open mindset and a culture of entrepreneurship and constant change, but more needs to be done. The United States has a lot to teach us, and we have a lot to offer them.

What are your top priorities as Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food?

I believe that the agricultural sector is largely unknown to society. Everyone needs food, but few truly understand the importance of the innovation, exports, talent and technology behind it. It is very important we make this sector more visible and recognized. Any country that abandons food production has no future. It will need to depend on other countries for logistics, communications and supplies, which is expensive; it will abandon its citizens as there are places that cannot survive without food production; and it will be unable to adequately fight climate change. A good government is key to unlocking our potential and overcoming challenges. We need to listen to the agricultural sector and have a future-oriented mindset. We need less paperwork and more facilitation. In the European Union, we have many levels of administration. Simplification, support and guidance for the sector are essential.  The business sector must also focus on being entrepreneurs. Farmer should focus on their activities, and not be burdened with spending all day on paperwork.

The world is upside down and constantly changing. While we do not know what will happen one day to the next, there are many great opportunities. Territories, companies and individuals that maintain an optimistic and resilient attitude, adapt with empathy and stay up to date with the new world will succeed. However, those who refuse to collaborate, fail to adapt and lack the right mindset will face serious difficulties. We require a 360-degree perspective to understand what is happening in the world. We must observe who is doing well and apply this knowledge to benefit markets around the world. Catalonia has a great capacity and is home to the entrepreneurial city of Barcelona with a thriving maritime culture, which gives us a competitive edge. Since the 1992 Olympics, we have done well thanks to our collaborative and open attitude towards the world. We require that same approach now to make the right decisions.