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CIHEAM Zaragoza hosts a visit for a delegation of Malta’s Ministry of Agriculture to gain insights into Aragon’s livestock system
CIHEAM > AGENDAS > CIHEAM Zaragoza hosts a visit for a delegation of Malta’s Ministry of Agriculture to gain insights into Aragon’s livestock system
  • Sonya Sammut, member of CIHEAM’s Advisory Board and Director for Food Systems at the Ministry of Malta, coordinates a visit to establish synergies and contacts in the agrifood sector
  • CIHEAM Zaragoza’s director, Raúl Compés, welcomed the delegation that visited local businesses, as well as laboratories and research centres from the Government of Aragon

Representatives of Malta's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights travelled to Aragon on 21 and 22 November 2023 on a visit organised by CIHEAM Zaragoza to establish synergies and contacts in the scope of food and agriculture. They discovered the scientific and technological offer in Aragon and heard about public policies and success stories in the livestock and animla production sector.

The Maltese delegation was made up of three senior officers from the Ministry: Sonya Sammut, Director for Food Systems, National Ambassador for Organic and Sustainable Food, and member of CIHEAM’s Advisory Board; Marco Dimech, Director of Agriculture; and Stefan Cachia, Director General for the Public Abattoir.

Working meeting at CIHEAM Zaragoza
Visit to lab facilities at CITA
Presentation of CITA’s activities with Alberto Bernués and Mirella Blanco

The Maltese delegates began their visit tour with a visit to CIHEAM’s headquarters in Spain and heard about the Institute’s projects and training programmes, with a view to exploring opportunities for collaboration. They also visited the facilities of the Agri-food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA) and held a meeting with researchers of the Animal Science Department. Enrique Novales, an official from the Government of Aragon, presented the main indicators of the livestock sector in Aragon and accompanied the delegates on their visits to businesses in the region.

With Enrique Fantova and Leticia Riaguas from Oviaragón’s technical team
Visit to Ars Alendi sow farm, with Enrique Bascuas and Erika Insa
Meeting at Grupo Jorge with Carmina Samper, Cristina Domingo and Luis Ullate

The agenda also included a visit to the Grupo Pastores where Oviaragón's technical team explained the successful cooperative business project in the sheep sector, as well as their Ternasco lamb meat promotion, marketing and sales efforts.

The next day the Maltese delegation had the opportunity to visit the Ars Alendi sow farm where the technical team explained how the business had developed and its links to the cooperatives at San Mateo de Gállego and Almudévar. They described the design of the farm and its business goals and operations and discussed the particularities of the integrated business model in the Spanish pig production sector.

The tour continued at the facilities of one of the largest meat production groups in Spain and biggest exporters of pig meat in Europe Grupo Jorge, who shared insights about their business operations. The Delegation heard about the Group’s meat and livestock branch that integrates the entire pig farming production cycle, from feed manufacturing to the distribution and sale of pork, cured meat, offal and by-products. They also discussed other facets of the cycle, including rearing, transport, slaughter and jointing. The visit concluded with a tour of the abattoir and jointing plant to see their working operations, control measures and biosecurity protocols.

Raúl Compés, director of CIHEAM Zaragoza commented on the success of the visit. "This has been a magnificent opportunity to consolidate and strengthen institutional relations, and highlight the strength and competitivity of the agrifood sector in Aragon".