The GEOINCA Research Group of the University of León (ULE) has established a strategic collaboration with Alimentos de Calidad del Bierzo (ACB) with the aim of taking advantage of mobile applications for geolocation, geospatial technologies and other geomatic tools in optimising the management of the agri-food sector. This collaboration is part of the European digital transformation project DIGIS3.
Alimentos de Calidad del Bierzo, an initiative launched in 2023, brings together food products from El Bierzo that have recognised quality labels. The objective of ACB is to pool resources and highlight the virtues of these products through a centralised web platform. The project is undergoing rapid development thanks to an intense activity focused on providing service to partners and online promotion.
GEOINCA plays a pivotal role in this process by providing specialised training to ACB technicians. This training focuses on improving the digital skills of the professionals, using advanced IT tools to help them in both field and office work. These tools are designed for the location and identification of agricultural plots and other places of interest, in order to improve the quality of the service offered to users.
The project, which began in early December 2023, will last for two years, during which specific digital tools will be adapted to the particular needs of Alimentos de Calidad del Bierzo. This collaboration will not only strengthen ACB's capacity to offer quality services, but will also contribute to the advancement of research in the field of geospatial technologies applied to agri-food management.
The GEOINCA Research Group of the University of León (ULE) is among the 14 research groups of the ULE that are part of DIGIS3, the only European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) of Castilla y León, formed by six entities from the region (ULE, IoT DIH (AIR Institute), DIHBU, DIH-LEAF, SCAYLE and the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICE) with the aim of promoting the smart, sustainable and cohesive digital transformation of SMEs and public administrations in the community between now and 2025.
GEOINCA is integrated by researchers in fields such as mining and energy engineering, chemical engineering, agroforestry and geology, and its lines of research are linked to planning, territorial management and the sustainable use of resources and protected natural spaces, as well as productive activities in the primary sector. The scientists involved in this group are Javier Fernández Lozano, Carlos Sierra Fernández, Enoc Sanz Ablanedo, José Ramón Rodríguez Pérez and Natalia Gómez Marín.