Senator Juan María Vázquez calls for the urgent launch of a Public Procurement of Innovation Program to make our companies more competitive in international markets
The senator of the PP for Murcia, Juan María Vázquez, has asked the Government today, during the debate of an initiative of his Group in the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to "commit itself to the agri-food sector and contribute so that Spain is transform it into a true node of technological innovation in agri-food ”.
Vázquez, who has shown his satisfaction at being unanimously approved, has indicated that he has presented this motion with the purpose of facilitating that agri-food companies innovate and improve their products, be more sustainable and, at the same time, more competitive in national and international markets . In it, the Government of Sánchez is requested to urgently approve a Public Procurement Program of Innovation specific for the agri-food sector and that could be financed by European funds.
"Spain has not spent even 37% of the European money that it had to spend between the years 2014-2020, so the Government could meet this urgent need, since, if it does not spend it, it will have to return it," he said. the senator of the PP, Juan María Vázquez.
The popular parliamentarian has stressed the fact that "now more than ever it is necessary to meet the needs of new products and methodologies of companies, especially in regions such as Murcia, where the agri-food sector generates 20% of regional GDP, and this it is achieved through innovation, strengthening the technological capabilities of companies and public-private collaboration ”, he stated.
Vázquez, who was also president of the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI), stressed that “the agricultural, livestock and aquaculture industries of the Region of Murcia are characterized by being innovative and have developed technologies that have made them much better, from saving water for crops, new plant varieties or modern aquaculture production systems ”.
It is very important to keep moving forward, "even to innovate in innovation", Vázquez pointed out, so collaboration with universities, the CSIC, INIA or IEO as the main agricultural research and marine research centers must be facilitated.
In this sense, Vázquez has highlighted that “the Public Procurement of Innovation is a way to strengthen this relationship and also facilitate and consolidate the creation of technological companies aimed at the agri-food sector, thus promoting the creation of true nodes of innovation in agri-food ”.
The senator of the Popular Group has explained that, with this procedure promoted by the Government of Rajoy, “the public buyer can tender a product or service that does not exist in the market and that needs R&D activities that can be developed by SMEs , new technology companies, universities or research centers ”.
