- The counsellor of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of the Government of Aragon, Javier Rincón, inaugurates the academic year 2025-2026 at CIHEAM Zaragoza, highlighting the importance of cultivating knowledge for the sustainable future of food systems.
- During the inaugural conference, the permanent vice-representative of Spain to the FAO, Fernando Miranda, points to the fragmentation of the international food trade as a threat to food security.
Zaragoza, 28 October 2025.- The counsellor of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of the Government of Aragon, Javier Rincón, has inaugurated the academic year 2025-2026 at CIHEAM Zaragoza, the Spanish headquarters of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) - the only intergovernmental organisation with headquarters in Aragon, and officially welcomed this year’s intake of students that will be receiving highly specialised training in key sectors of the agrifood sector.
Rincón emphasised the important role played by knowledge for the future of agriculture. “We need spaces such as CIHEAM to train the young professionals that will be facing one of the greatest challenges of rural areas today - generational replacement. The agriculture of tomorrow requires knowledge, commitment and global vision – three key factors that are cultivated here". Rincón went on to stress the impact that this type of training will have on the sustainability and efficiency of the sector: "The future of rural areas is also forged in the classrooms by developing the knowledge required to achieve a more equitable and efficient agriculture”.
New specialists in plant breeding, animal nutrition, olive growing and fisheries
CIHEAM Zaragoza presented the master’s programmes commencing this year: Plant Genetics, Genomics and Breeding, coorganised with the University of Lerida; Animal Nutrition coorganised with the University of Zaragoza; Olive Growing and Oil Technology, coorganised with the University of Cordoba; and Sustainable Fisheries Management, coorganised with the University of Alicante.
Raúl Compés, director of CIHEAM Zaragoza, presented the training offer: “Our 120-credit master’s programmes form the basis of our capacity-building model in the Mediterranean, consisting of highly specialised postgraduate studies, delivered together with leading Spanish universities in respective scientific and technical areas”.
Rincón and Compés presided the ceremony together with CIHEAM Secretary General Teodoro Miano; the director of the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalisation and Cooperation of the University of Zaragoza, Juan Antonio Vallés; and Fernando Miranda, counsellor of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for the Embassy of Spain in Rome and permanent representative of Spain to the FAO, who also delivered the inaugural lecture.
Effects of geopolitics and climate change on food security
During his lecture, Miranda analysed the impact of current international conflicts on agriculture and food trade in the Mediterranean region. He also addressed the role of international organisations, opportunities for collaboration between countries, and strategies to mitigate tensions and boost food security.
As the representative of Spain to the FAO pointed out: “Fragmentation of international trade in agriculture and food significantly increases vulnerability to food crises". He spoke of “growing concern” about the effects of geopolitical challenges and climate change on food security and their consequences on political and social stability, besides related phenomena such as political crises, migrations and conflicts.
In his analysis, Miranda emphasised that "governance is the main pillar of food systems", and although he recognised that "we are still far from the goal of Zero Hunger in 2030", he was confident that "the foundations of international order are still firm" reiterating that "the importance of governance at all levels is fundamental” to overcome today’s geopolitical challenges in issues related to agriculture and food.
Second edition of the Ramón Esteruelas-CIHEAM Zaragoza award
The winner of this year’s edition of the Ramón Esteruelas-CIHEAM Zaragoza award was Diego Vargas Donayre, student of the 2022-2024 edition of CIHEAM Zaragoza’s International Master in Animal Genetics and Reproduction Biotechnology. Vargas is currently preparing a doctorate on molecular aspects associated to goat and pig domestication processes at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) in Barcelona.
This award for outstanding achievement was created as a tribute to Ramón Esteruelas, born in Biota (Zaragoza) and founder of CIHEAM, presiding the Governing Board from 1962 and 1983. This award seeks to acknowledge the academic excellence of its students.
Tribute to Miguel Mut and Miguel Valls
This part of the ceremony was devoted to two key figures in the history of CIHEAM Zaragoza who passed away recently: Miguel Mut Catalá and Miguel Valls Ortiz. The institutional tribute was a public acknowledgement of the extraordinary contribution both directors made to the development and consolidation of the organisation as a centre of international excellence in agriculture and food training.
The tribute looked back on the professional trajectories of Mut Catalá, director of the institute from 1975 to 1988, and Valls Ortiz, director from 1988 and 2003, with moving personal testimonies from family members and colleagues. Both periods under their management were decisive in forging the identity and reputation of the Institute.
