This Thursday marked the launch of Granada Tierra Viva, Granada’s innovation ecosystem focused on territory and soil, at an event that brought together more than 100 prominent figures from the province. The presentation took place in the Conference Hall of the Triunfo Administrative Complex at the University of Granada, establishing this initiative as a benchmark in soil regeneration and sustainable development in the province.
The event featured the participation of Pedro Mercado Pacheco, Rector of the University of Granada; José Mateos Moreno, Director General of Employment and Sustainable Development at the Granada Provincial Council; and Esteban Romero Frías, Vice-Rector for Social Innovation, Employability, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Granada, who is also the Principal Investigator of the European SOILCRATES project at the UGR, funded by the European Union.
Pedro Mercado Pacheco noted, “Today we are presenting a European project, but we wanted to transform it, not just into the execution of a project, but into a space, into an ecosystem of development and sustainability.” Meanwhile, Esteban Romero Frías stated, “The university and this project act as enablers of the work you are already doing in the territory because we are that: territory.”
A living lab for the future of soil in Granada
The Granada Tierra Viva initiative arises within the framework of the Impronta program and is part of the European Union’s Soil Mission, a program promoting the creation of living labs to improve soil and boost economic development. The Granada proposal has been funded through the European SOILCRATES project (SOIL Innovation Labs: Co-Regenerating And Transforming European Soils) under the Horizon Europe program, with an investment exceeding €2 million, of which €400,000 will be allocated to pilot projects in the province.
The Impronta Granada initiative is an ecosystem born from the alliance between the University and the Granada Provincial Council, aiming to connect the UGR with the territory. It encompasses multiple programs involving the entire university community, including this Granada Tierra Viva, which was presented today.
During the event, Esteban Romero Frías presented the governance model of Granada Tierra Viva, emphasizing its commitment to creating synergies between academia, public administration, businesses, and citizens to address the challenge of soil conservation from an innovative and sustainable perspective.
A space for dialogue and joint work
The event continued with a roundtable discussion titled “Challenges and Opportunities in Granada in Agriculture and Rural Development,” featuring José Mateos Moreno, Director General of Employment and Sustainable Development at the Granada Provincial Council; Gustavo Ródenas Díaz, Manager of FAECA; María Lourdes Pineda Villegas, Provincial Director of SEPE; Juan Francisco Delgado Morales, Vice President of the European Foundation for Innovation; and María de los Ángeles Álvarez Lloret, Director of the IFAPA Center – Camino de Purchil. The session was moderated by María José González López, Director of Entrepreneurship at the University of Granada.
The discussion highlighted the need to adopt sustainable strategies for soil management and rural development, stressing the importance of collaboration across different sectors and levels of government.
After a working breakfast, attendees—including mayors, farmers, and prominent merchants from the province—participated in a joint working session addressing priorities, challenges, and opportunities related to soil, with the goal of defining pilot projects to be funded through Granada Tierra Viva.
A shared commitment to sustainability
The event concluded with a reaffirmation of institutional and citizen commitment to soil regeneration and sustainable development. In this regard, Granada Tierra Viva has established itself as a space for open innovation and collaboration, where public administrations, businesses, researchers, and citizens will work together to design and implement transformative solutions for the territory.
With this initiative, Granada takes a step forward in its commitment to sustainability, bioeconomy, and circular economy, positioning itself at the forefront of innovation in soil management in Europe.
