The experts, academics from the master's degree in Digital Transformation of the agri-food and forestry sector (Digital Agri) of the Spanish university, were in Costa Rica in late may and early june and participated in various meetings with professionals and students of agri-food careers.

This was organized by the Spanish Agency for the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) and developed by the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC) y el IICA. 

"Universities have a fundamental role in the whole ecosystem of support for digital transformation. These centers of study must reinvent themselves to accompany the sector in the transformation process, with an integrative model that works alongside producers and companies. The role of universities is to identify problems, research and work with all stakeholders to offer successful solutions," said Rosa Gallardo, director of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes at the Universidad de Cordoba.

"A lot of research has been done, technology has been innovated and digital tools have been made available to producers, cooperatives and the agri-food industry; but it is not enough, because the percentage of small and medium farmers using these technologies is minimal. Digital transformation is everyone's job", Gallardo emphasized.

The international seminar, called "Application of digital technology to the agri-food sector for a more productive and sustainable agriculture and rural environment", included visits by the Spanish specialists to two TEC campuses, in San Carlos and Cartago (north and center of the country) to exchange knowledge with about 250 producers, professionals and students from these places, where intense agricultural research and production is generated in Costa Rica.

"Agriculture has enormous potential to successfully use current digital technologies. There are some tools that are almost exclusively applicable to agriculture, such as satellite images that allow us to know the state of plants, soil and humidity, by incorporating elements that support digital agriculture", said Adolfo Peña, director of the Digital Agri master's program.

This master's program at the Universidad de Cordoba is supported by IICA, which has provided scholarships to professionals in the agri-food sector in Latin America and the Caribbean in previous years.     

"A few years ago the Institute decided to be a leader in the digital transformation process, in which producers through technology optimize their resources and produce more with greater environmental sustainability. We envision an agriculture based on science, innovation, technology and, above all, data; because farmers make decisions every day", said Emmanuel Picado, manager of Information, Communication and Digital Agriculture Technologies at IICA. 

José Emilio Guerrero, professor at the Universidad de Córdoba, said, "the agri-food sector has a huge opportunity to move towards a digital transformation where data becomes knowledge to make a green, digital and harmonious transition".

"Investing in human capital, training and knowledge is essential for the digital transformation of agriculture; the training of farmers, technicians and agribusinessmen is the key to reduce the digital divide", said Javier Mesas, co-director of the Digital Agri master's degree.

Translated by: A.M