Leading by example

WHAT:

INTIA provides advice and guidance to producers, based on an extensive net of technicians and an own experimentation network. The main goals of INTIA’s service are to improve the transfer of research and innovation results to farmers, to find solutions to their problems or needs and to improve their profitability and sustainability.

WHERE:

Navarre region, Spain

WHO & HOW:

The Institute for Agri-food Technology and Infrastructure of Navarre (INTIA) aims at transferring knowledge and innovation to improving profitability and sustainability, sustaining a living countryside, and providing to society high-quality foodstuffs. INTIA ensures success and detects the conventional and organic sector’s needs and problems by using its extensive network of 150 technicians distributed over 13 offices. These technicians are in direct contact with farmers and agroindustries on the one hand, and with the research and development sector on the other hand.

To find solutions, INTIA uses different experimental approaches, such as demonstrative trials at fourteen different fields. These experiences generate knowledge that technicians themselves transfer to the agrifood sector, of course complying to rules of confidentiality. Knowledge is transferred on demonstration days, in publications, etc. This knowledge is generated for both the entire sector – more than 8,500 farmers – and partners only.

Initially, organic advisory service was integrated in conventional service teams. Nowadays a multidisciplinary team replies all kind of questions related to organic projects: agricultural yields, fertilizers, animal production, pests, commercialization, profitability, training etc. There is also an advisory service specially aimed at young farmers promoting new agroecological projects.

The advisory services started in 1980s when the Government of Navarra decided to invest in the improvement of the agricultural sector. INTIA itself was founded in 2011 because several public companies with over 30 years of experience in agriculture, irrigation and the food industry merged. The service is financed by public and private funding. This combination has been a key to success, as it assures impartiality of recommendations and the commitment of partners and collaborating companies in the studies carried out.

The Government of Navarre is a key stakeholder, as INTIA is an instrumental company of the Department of Rural Development, Environment and Local Administration of Navarra. INTIA has been designated as official advisory service by the Regional Government in the new Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020.


MORE INFO
Juan Manuel Intxaurrandieta, INTIA
Email: jintxaur@intiasa.es,Tel:+34 9 48 01 30 40

This best practice is part of the SME ORGANICS project.