Argentine Association of Regional Consortia of Agricultural Experimentation (CREA)

12/24/2021

The Argentine Association of Regional Consortia of Agricultural Experimentation (CREA, for its acronym in Spanish) is the non-profit civil association that integrates and directs the Regional Consortia of Agricultural Experimentation groups in Argentina and Uruguay. These CREA groups are work groups settled by agricultural producers to promote the technological development of the production and coordinate the productive tasks in a more efficient way. They work mostly in cooperation with the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), in addition to some Universities, and other Institutions with which they maintain agreements in different regions of the country.

The organization, which was founded in 1960, is conformed by 10 to 12 producer’s groups of the same region, which are assisted by a specialized technician in the task of providing specific solutions to the local problematic, based in the producers’ experiences. This way, it tries to promote the exchange of information for the common improvement of the production. Within this framework, it develops and implements training, experimenting and transference projects. It also promotes exchange and joint work with national and foreign experts and agencies in research, testing and adoption of new technology.


Objective

The Regional Syndicates of Agricultural Experimentation CREA have organized a Movement in order to pursue its purposes, the CREA Movement, which works to promote the integral development of the agricultural entrepreneurs to achieve economically profitable and sustainable companies over time, testing technology and transferring it to the environment to contribute to the sector and the country.

The organization is currently conformed by over 2000 agricultural enterprises that promote the improvement of the results of their organizations through the exchange of ideas and experiences.


Investigation and development

Among their scope of work, CREA establishes its companies in different areas, such as agriculture, livestock, dairy production and innovation, whilst taking into account the environmental.

Agriculture

Extensive agriculture is one of the main productive activities of CREA members. Extensive agriculture is carried out in 17 areas of the movement. The main crops are wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and soy.

The research and development actions of the Movement are focused on improving the productivity and the result of agricultural crops, which include the spreading of knowledge about different crops to generate consciousness.

The main lines of experimentation in the regions are on genetics (comparative evaluation of varieties and hybrids), fertilization, service crops, etc.

The agenda of topics to be worked on, both at regional and national level, is defined jointly between members and CREA technicians. In addition, a Committee on agriculture and an Agricultural technical Bureau operate in CREA. The first is composed of members representing the various agricultural areas, while the second is composed of technicians from the various areas. Between them, they propose and prioritize the issues of national scope that the Agriculture team then works on. A similar scheme works at the regional level to define and carry out the lines of experimentation.

Livestock

One of the main productive activities of CREA members is beef cattle raising. CREA seeks to provide technical support in economic, business productive and environmental issues related to beef livestock. The goal is to generate more efficient CREA companies and contribute to achieve a better national livestock sector.

The topics CREA is currently working on at national level are:

  • Analysis of the sector and the business: scenarios, micro-economic report, livestock management.
  • Forage production (IV): forage board, field production estimation.
  • Support tools for evaluation and management: breeding modeler, meat production, corral payroll.
  • Sectoral policies: analysis and support for policy design.

The agenda of topics to be worked on, both at regional and national level, is defined jointly between members and CREA technicians. In addition, CREA has a Livestock Commission and a livestock technical Board. The first is composed of CREA members representing the different livestock areas, while the second is composed of technicians from the different areas. Between them, they propose and prioritize the issues of national scope that the Livestock team then works on. A similar scheme works at the regional level to define and carry out the lines of experimentation.

Dairy

CREA's dairy area includes 329 companies that are a part of 52 CREA groups distributed throughout the country. These are grouped by zone and in the 14 main dairy areas (West and Central Santa Fe) there is a Zonal Dairy Commission to cover zonal demands related to the dairy farm.

The topics CREA is currently working on at national level are:

  • Analysis of the sector and the business: Dairy report, dairy management.
  • Effluent management: tool for design, contribution to the design of regulations.
  • Rotations: Impact assessment and design of sustainable schemes.
  • Human factor: Elements to generate attractive companies.

Innovation

To study and understand technology adoption processes. To detect and anticipate the detection of innovative products, services and/or processes based on technology that allow to solve problems and/or capture opportunities of the main agricultural activities of Argentina. To evaluate, and prioritize the offer of potential solutions available. To accompany the most promising value propositions in their development, testing and technical and market validation processes. To create a multidisciplinary workspace on innovations for agricultural activities, expanding, diversifying and enhancing the network of internal and external links.

The topics CREA is currently working on at national level are

  • Surveillance and technological foresight: Anticipate the detection of emerging technologies with potential applicability in the main agricultural activities of Argentina. Monitor their development status. Analyze its insertion and impact.
  • Incubation: Enable the CREA Network and provide specialized technical support for the development of innovative technology-based enterprises that propose products, services or processes for the resolution of problems and/or the capture of opportunities of the main agricultural activities of Argentina.
  • Testing and co-development: Coordinate the testing of new technologies in real production conditions to validate and adjust the value propositions and business plans of the enterprises. Promote the generation and development of specific technical knowledge about new technologies with potential applicability in the Argentine agricultural sector.


References

https://www.crea.org.ar