Task Forces are key elements in developing the European Innovation Partnership as regards productive, sustainable agriculture. They are formed by stakeholders with different profiles, such as farmers, stockbreeders, foresters, agri-food or forest industries, public or private R&D+i or training and counselling centres, technological centres, non-profit institutions, among others, that partner to achieve innovation in order to solve a problem, or leverage an opportunity, focused in a joint, multi-sector action plan.

Spain’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 consists of one National Framework, seventeen Regional Programmes, and one National Programme, and its sub-measure 16.1 was designed to create supra-autonomic task forces, which receive the grant governed by the Royal Decree 170/2018, which modifies the Royal Decree 253/2016. As a result, “FITOSCEREZO” Task Force was created, and became part of the European Innovation Partnership as regards productive, sustainable agriculture.

FITOSCEREZO is a ground-breaking proposal of national interest that involves the implementation of a joint action by independent stakeholders from several Spanish autonomous communities. The proposal contains new activities aiming to obtain AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND INTEGRATED PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE CHERRY TREE CULTIVATION IN EXTREMADURA AND ARAGON, perennial crop (#0124 CNAE), with a high economic and social value.

The goals of this project are within the scope of interest covered by the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (FEADER), and they promote competitiveness of cherry tree cultivation in Spain, a sustainable management of natural resources, climate action and a balanced territorial development. On the other hand, they also contributed to the goals of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) as regards productive, sustainable agriculture by enabling the expansion of an intelligent, sustainable, and integrating cherry tree cultivation, since they promote its economic feasibility, an efficient use of resources, environmental protection, low emissions, respect for natural resources, and resistance to weather changes. Furthermore, this will build relationships among state-of-the-art expertise and technologies regarding cherry tree pest and disease management, and farmers, rural communities, businesses, and counselling services.

Co-financing by the European Union at 80% from the Fondo Europeo Agrícola de Desarollo Rural and 20% from the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, with the managing authority responsible for implementing the FEADER aid and the corresponding national part being the Dirección General de Desarrollo Rural, Innovación y Formación Agroalimentaria (DGDRIFA). Total amount of aid approved: 452.838,74€. The agency responsible for the content of this website is the beneficiary members of the Operational Group FITOSCEREZO