Lleida becomes a benchmark in transformative innovation with the Agrobiotech Forum

LleidaThe Lleida Provincial Council is reaffirming its leading role in innovation in the region with its presence at the Agrobiotech Forum, which will take place from November 25 to 27. The Council is promoting the participation of the G10 with a joint stand representing the Shared Agenda "Lleida, Land of Opportunities" and the eleven institutions that comprise it. For three days, this space will serve as a meeting point for companies, institutions, research centers, and local stakeholders involved in innovation, fostering... networking The Agrobiotech Forum is a true showcase of innovation, centered around the six pillars of transformation at the Forum: agricultural machinery and technology; agricultural production; livestock; water; energy and sustainability in food production; and bioeconomy. The Forum aims to highlight Lleida's potential in biotechnology, sustainability, energy, and digital transformation. The G10 stand will serve to showcase this collaboration and some of the most strategic projects underway (such as the bio-industrial parks and the Vocational, Occupational, and Continuing Education Center for the Green Economy of Catalonia). Furthermore, it will provide the setting for the presentation of the Specialized Transformative Innovation Centers (CITEs), which are the practical link in the territorial transformation strategy. These are spaces where innovation takes concrete form, connecting government agencies, businesses, and knowledge centers to generate sustainable economic activity, foster talent, and strengthen local development. The Technical Office for Transformation (OTT), under the Provincial Council's Board of Economic Promotion, coordinates this network and has recently strengthened its operations with new regional technicians, in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Demographic Challenge.

Currently, three CITEs (Centers for Technological Innovation) are operating in the region: the BioHub Lab in Alcarràs, specializing in agricultural bioeconomy and the creation of bio-industrial parks; the EnergyHub Lab in Balaguer, focused on the energy transition and renewable energy models; and the AgroLiving Lab at the Lleida Agrobiotech Park, dedicated to innovation in agri-food value chains. This November, the Forest Bioeconomy CITE, based in Sort, will be added, focused on the sustainable management of forests and the production of renewable energy in the Pyrenees. Simultaneously, work is already underway on new centers dedicated to climate resilience, digitalization, and sustainable tourism. A forum to advocate for Lleida's strategy

The Agrobiotech Forum is not just a professional event, but a strategic initiative to position Lleida as a leader in transformative innovation. The event aims to highlight the driving role of the primary sector, capable of propelling the food, energy, and industrial transition across the country. The Lleida countryside manages a significant portion of the natural capital necessary to produce food, energy, and services sustainably, contributing to a resilient economic model that generates shared prosperity in Catalonia. Lleida, which concentrates more than 50% of Catalonia's natural capital and food production, as well as 53% of the country's livestock, holds the key to leading this triple transformation. Its agricultural, livestock, and industrial surpluses, exceeding 10.5 million tons annually, represent significant potential for decarbonization and economic diversification. The launch of a Forum of this nature in Catalonia, a pioneering event not only in Catalonia but also in Spain, had to be led from Lleida.

The G10 and the "Lleida, Land of Opportunities" Agenda

The G10 is an unprecedented institutional alliance that brings together the main administrations and economic and social entities of the Lleida region, the Pyrenees, and the Aran Valley. Its members include the Lleida Provincial Council, the Lleida City Council (Paeria), the Catalan Government (Generalitat), the Spanish Government Sub-delegation, the University, the Chambers of Commerce of Lleida and Tàrrega, the trade unions CCOO and UGT, and the employers' associations COELL and Pimec. They all share a common goal: to transform the region's economy through a collective, stable, and long-term strategy. After five years of working together, the institutions have decided to consolidate the alliance by signing a collaboration agreement that guarantees the project's continuity beyond electoral cycles. This model of cooperation has been recognized by international organizations. The United Nations General Assembly recently highlighted Lleida's agenda as an example of best practice in mobilizing collective action in territories to achieve the SDGs, positioning the Lleida region as a global leader in creating transformative innovation ecosystems that can be replicated in other rural regions around the world.

Driver and guarantor of transformation

The Lleida Provincial Council plays a central role in this strategy as the driving force and guarantor of territorial cooperation. Through its Technical Office for Transformation, the council promotes projects, provides human and technical resources, and ensures that each initiative has a real impact. The goal is to build an economy rooted in the territory, capable of combating depopulation and promoting rural industrialization with green, regenerative, and local criteria. In the coming years, the Technical Office faces new challenges to consolidate the progress achieved. Among the immediate objectives are implementing the 2025-2027 action plans derived from the Training and Employment Commission and the Economic Activity Zones Commission, securing high-impact public and private funding for key transformative projects, launching the Welfare and Infrastructure Commissions, and drafting the Industrial Strategy for the region. With this forward-looking vision, the Board of Trustees and the Technical Office reaffirm their commitment to continue driving the economic and social transformation of the region and positioning Lleida, the Pyrenees, and Aran as international benchmarks in transformative innovation, sustainability, and territorial cooperation.