Improved facilities and infrastructure at CICYTEX’s Finca La Orden-Valdesequera Research Institute in Western Spain provide a boost for agricultural research and development, create jobs and strengthen ties with local companies and research centres.
- 26 October 2015
This assistance has brought advancements to the research and development of products leaving the Extremadura countryside, benefiting both businesses and farmers. It has improved the improved the socio-economic and environmental conditions of the Extremaduran countryside, and has also given it a new importance.
The project support has allowed the Finca La Orden-Valdesequera Research Institute – part of the Centre for Scientific and Technological Research of Extremadura (CICYTEX) – to improve, renovate and expand its facilities and scientific and technical infrastructure. In addition to building a new biotechnology warehouse and making considerable improvements to its irrigation infrastructure, the institute has been able to acquire new materials for its laboratories and experimental farms, providing the basis for cutting-edge agricultural research.
The institute’s main focus is on research and development in the areas of agriculture, forestry and natural resources, with some of its most important projects looking at energy crops, optimisation of agricultural and livestock production, livestock breeds, and conservation of natural resources.
Improving technology transfer
The Finca La Orden-Valdesequera Research Institute plays a key role in technology transfer to farmers and universities, as well as to local companies, cooperatives and associations. The investments have contributed to a wider offering of information days, workshops, conferences and lectures, and training is also provided to researchers and technicians, as well as to university students in the field of agriculture.
The institute can now reach larger audiences thanks to improved communications channels and media: new promotional material, including a new website, has been created; project results are now disseminated more widely; new publications have been developed to improve technology transfer. A series of partnerships have also been established with local companies and research centres to encourage exchange visits by researchers and technicians.
The investments have led to over 400 new research, development and innovation projects, over 70 cooperation projects with local companies, and the creation of 35 jobs.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Finca la Orden - Valdesequera” is EUR 3 285 349 of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 2 628 279 from the “Extremadura” operational programme for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.