IRTA was one of the leading research centres featured in the international press visit which, between 10 and 12 December, brought to Catalonia fourteen journalists from media outlets across Europe (Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia), Asia (Japan), Africa (Morocco) and Latin America interested in gaining first-hand insight into Catalan research in agronomy and agri-food sustainability. The initiative, promoted by Catalunya Internacional and the CERCA institution, with the collaboration of CREAF, made it possible to showcase to an international audience how science carried out in Catalonia addresses major global challenges such as food security, climate change adaptation and the sustainability of production systems.
As part of this scientific route, journalists visited the facilities of IRTA Torre Marimon in Caldes de Montbui, including its laboratories and experimental greenhouses, and were able to learn about some of the centre’s most relevant projects in the field of plant breeding and crop adaptation to increasingly demanding climatic conditions. These include the apple varieties Tutti and Stellar, developed by the Hot Climate Partnership, a genetic improvement programme involving Plant & Food Research, Fruitfutur and IRTA, aimed at obtaining varieties better adapted to warm climates. Also featured was the almond tree breeding programme, with examples such as DIVINA, a new almond variety with a high content of fibre, fat and oleic acid.
During the visit, IRTA highlighted its research model, based on knowledge transfer, collaboration with the agri-food sector and direct impact on the territory, without overlooking scientific outreach to society, with examples such as the story of Rita.
The group of journalists also had the opportunity to visit other leading centres in the Catalan research system, such as the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CREAF and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS), and met with the Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat. The visit was part of the international visitors programme run by Catalunya International, which since 2014 has invited more than 230 foreign correspondents and journalists to visit the country.
This is the first time that the international visitors programme of Catalunya Internacional has been devoted exclusively to the scientific field. Conceived as a pilot initiative, it represented a valuable opportunity to bring Catalan research closer to international media and strengthen the international visibility of IRTA and of agronomy research carried out in Catalonia.
