Workshop on Interoperability in Data Spaces for the Agri-Food Sector
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) and the Directorate-General for Data of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function hosted a workshop focused on interoperability in data spaces for the agri-food sector. The event, which took place on March 17 and was developed in collaboration with the State Secretariat for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA), brought together representatives from various projects to define action lines that promote interoperability in data spaces, fostering synergies and exploring shared use cases.
The session began with an institutional welcome by Maite Ambrós Mendioroz from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), and Javier Cotillas from the State Secretariat for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA), who highlighted the relevance of interoperability in data spaces and its impact on the agri-food sector. The connection between these data ecosystems is key to driving the digitalization of the agri-food sector, improving resource management efficiency, and promoting sustainability. Additionally, during the event, SEGITTUR shared its initiative on data spaces in the tourism sector, providing a complementary perspective on interoperability across different domains.
The workshop was primarily dedicated to presenting interoperability in various data spaces within the agri-food sector. Representatives from demonstrator centers presented their approaches, addressing key aspects such as the type of interoperability considered, the use of the Data Space Protocol, and the technological solutions adopted in terms of identity, connectors, catalogs, and trust frameworks. Participants included AgrospAI from the University of Lleida, presented by its lead researcher, Roberto García; the EDAAn Demonstrator Center from the University of Malaga, presented by its lead researcher, José F. Aldana Montes; and RuralTech, from Seresco CTIC Technology Center, represented by Chus García, Director of Data Economy.
Subsequently, a technical working session was held, moderated by SEDIA, with the participation of representatives from data spaces, Segittur, and technological agents from MAPA and SEDIA. During this session, the interoperability needs between projects and the support of different technologies for their implementation were discussed. As a result of the debate, an action plan and concrete objectives were established to advance the interoperability of agri-food data spaces.
José F. Aldana, director of Ágora Datalab, made the following statements about the workshop: “It was a very interesting session on data space interoperability, focused on the agri-food sector, where general aspects such as the types of interoperability to consider and the need to define an interoperability ladder were discussed. Additionally, other key points were addressed, such as defining the best technological foundations for interoperability, including the use of the Data Space Protocol, and identity models, connectors, catalogs, and trust frameworks.”
From ÁGORA Datalab (https://agora-datalab.eu/), the Demonstrator Center for the Andalusian Agri-Food Data Space (EDAAn) (https://edaan.agora-datalab.eu/) is already being deployed. This project, led by the University of Malaga, is funded by the State Secretariat for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA) and aligned with the European Data Strategy, aiming to transform how farmers, cooperatives, and the agri-food industry as a whole manage and share information.
The beneficiary entities of the four demonstrator center projects convened belong to the Agri-Food Data Spaces Working Group of GAIA-X (https://www.gaiax-spain.com/grupos-de-trabajo/).