The awards panel has announced its decision on the projects submitted for the first year, releasing the names of those who will receive the Prize itself and the runner-up Prize for Castile-Leon. The ‘Grupo Siro Foundation Agri-food Research Prize’ seeks to promote research as a tool for improving the agri-food sector.
Madrid, 14 December 2015 – The Grupo Siro Foundation has announced the decision reached by the panel for the 1st ’Grupo Siro Foundation Agri-food Research Prize’. The winner is a project by the Agri-food Technology and Infrastructures Institute of Navarre (INTIA) entitled ‘Advanced GIS Tools for Decision-making Support aimed at the Sustainable Management of Extensive Crops’, led by Ana Pilar Armesto.
The runner-up Prize for Castile-Leon was given to the project by the Functional and Genome Biology Institute of Salamanca entitled ‘On New Yeasts, Cereals and Baking Products’, led by Mercedes Tamame.
The panel announced the decision at the Symposium on Agri-food Research organised by the Grupo Siro Foundation at i+dea – the Grupo Siro centre for R&D+i – to give the candidates an opportunity to present and defend their projects in front of the panel.
A total of 13 projects – all of superb quality and involving a diverse range of regional, national and international bodies – took part in this first edition of the awards. The theme was technological innovation and the practical application of farming developments geared towards cereal production and, more specifically, the wheat value chain.
The event, a conference with a predominantly technical-scientific theme, was attended by over 70 people from the leading technology institutes and universities in Spain. Together with representatives from the public authorities, business organisations and leading companies in the sector, along with producer organisations, they were able to share experiences and knowledge of the agri-food sector from an applied research perspective.
At the end of the symposium, Lucía Urbán López, Chair of the Panel and Vice-President of the Grupo Siro Foundation, announced that the official Award Presentation Ceremony will take place in 2016 at the Foundation’s headquarters, the San Pelayo Monastery in Cevico Navero, Palencia.
Panel for the 1st ‘Grupo Siro Foundation Agri-food Research Prize’
The panel for the 1st ‘Grupo Siro Agri-food Research Prize’ was made up of 15 applied research experts and professionals specialising in agri-food development. They represented Spanish organisations that are highly regarded in the spheres of science, technology and institutional matters.
About the Grupo Siro Foundation
The Foundation was set up in 2007 by the express wishes of the Grupo Siro owners Juan Manuel González Serna and Lucía Urbán López.
The Grupo Siro Foundation is based on four founding objectives: the awarding of Training Excellence Grants to help support training for the children of employees; support for non-standard medical treatment for employees and their families; promoting the integration of people at risk of social exclusion; the restoration and conservation of historical, artistic and environmental heritage in the areas where it operates.
To achieve its objectives, the Foundation is engaged in programmes that promote training, research and social action, among other things, and it puts a high priority on fostering research activity.
About Grupo Siro
Grupo Siro is a 100% Spanish-owned business group operating in the food sector. Its goal is focused on excellence through efficiency and innovation from the standpoint of sustainable social commitment. Its strategy is based on meeting the needs of all its stakeholders through long-term partnerships.
In Spain, the group has operations in the biscuit, pasta, sliced bread, cake, pastry, cereal, co-product and R&D+i sectors. In 2014, it posted a turnover of 563 million euros and currently has 20 work centres employing over 4,000 people.
Grupo Siro has had an inter-supplier agreement with Mercadona since 1998 as manufacturer of the Hacendado brand. This agreement is based on trust and stability, leading to an investment of over 300 million euros in recent years, ongoing growth and projects aimed at offering products of the highest quality at the best possible price for consumers.
