- The event brought together representatives from the agri-food sector to tackle the challenges posed by pesticides and soilless cultivation, as well as to identify new knowledge and training needs
Málaga TechPark took part in Fruit Attraction 2026, held at IFEMA Madrid, with two thematic workshops organised as part of the European AgriFood4Future project, of which it is a member. The activities took place as part of the ‘Workshop CoVE Spain’ event, with the aim of creating a space for the exchange of knowledge and experiences amongst professionals, companies and organisations linked to the agri-food sector.
Under the slogan ‘From challenges to a more sustainable agri-food sector’, the workshops focused on two areas of particular relevance to the sector: pesticides and risk assessment, and soilless cultivation. Both served as a starting point for addressing the current challenges facing agricultural activity and the skills required to move towards more sustainable practices.
The first workshop, dedicated to pesticides and risk assessment, addressed the main challenges associated with their use and management, paying particular attention to the knowledge and training needs of professionals in the sector.
The second workshop, meanwhile, focused on soilless cultivation, facilitating the exchange of experiences regarding these agricultural production systems, the challenges they present and the technical knowledge required for their development.
The two workshops also sought to identify new training and knowledge needs, with the aim of aligning training provision with the current and future demands of the agri-food sector. These activities form part of the work of the Spanish AgriFood4Future CoVE, of which Málaga TechPark, CESUR, the FEMAC Cluster and Trama TecnoAmbiental are members.
AgriFood4Future, funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, aims to develop new skills and educational programmes that meet the needs of the agriculture of the future. To this end, it promotes a European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) that connects educational institutions, businesses and other sector stakeholders to improve training and facilitate the transition towards more digital and sustainable agri-food systems.