On the 30th of March 2022, the VIRTIGATION network will be officially launched through a workshop gathering key local stakeholders in Almería, in parallel to the project’s annual meeting.
Gathering feedback from the ground
As co-creation and co-design is at the heart of VIRTIGATION’s research activities, the project will convene key local actors and stakeholders to its first official VIRTIGATION network workshop. Hence, the aim of the workshop is to discuss with growers, agro-industry companies (e.g. seed and plant protection industries), extension services and policymakers their needs and ideas for the project’s research priorities.
In Almería, the focus of the stakeholder workshop will lie on gathering feedback from the ground for the topics of farm management and seeds and vegetable material. Furthermore, the leading partners of VIRTIGATION research plan will outline how their research can meet market demand and priorities from the horticulture value chain. Moreover, with Almería being Europe’s greenhouse capital, it is the optimal location to align VIRTIGATION research with market needs.
The project’s stakeholder workshop has attracted substantial interest from key local actors and stakeholders. Close to 20 stakeholders will participate in the workshop, including representatives from Syngenta Spain, CASI, NatureSweet, IFAPA, Ganfer, Koppert, Agrobio, Grupo La Caña, Biobest, UNICA, Asehir, Rijk Zwaan and Semilleros Salipant.
Stakeholder workshop programme
Taking place at our partner TECNOVA headquarters in Almería, the stakeholder workshop will enable a profound dialogue between VIRTIGATION partners and the Almería horticulture value chain to discuss strategies to protect tomatoes and cucurbits from emerging viral diseases caused by ToBRFV, ToLCNDV and TYLCV.
Our partners TECNOVA and AGAPA, the National Knowledge Broker for the VIRTIGATION network in Spain, are organizing the stakeholder workshop. Participation to the stakeholder workshop is by invitation only. Following the stakeholder workshop, VIRTIGATION partners will visit field installations of key local actors and stakeholders in Almería. In conclusion, they will then gather for a two-day annual project meeting.
Programme
- 10:30 – 11:00
- Welcome and introduction
- Hervé Vanderschuren, KU Leuven, VIRTIGATION project coordinator
- Mª Carmen Galera, General Director TECNOVA
- Representative of regional government of Andalusia – TBD
- Welcome and introduction
- 11:00 – 12:00
- VIRTIGATION project information
- Partners leading research plan present main objectives and market oriented results they plan to deliver
- VIRTIGATION project information
- 12:00 – 13:00
- Roundtables with stakeholders
- Roundtable 1: Seeds and vegetable material, coordinated by VIRTIGATION partner Volcani Center
- Roundtable 2: Farm management, coordinated by VIRTIGATION partner DCM CORP
- Roundtables with stakeholders
- 13:00 – 13:30
- Wrap up and conclusions
