Osorno: playing with technological innovation

In Chile, agriculture is rapidly becoming a high-tech industry, at least as complex as software development or aircraft production, and in order to compete on a global stage the sector needs to adopt cutting edge technology to reduce costs, standardize output and develop new products. Progress is being made, but to make that big leap forward in development, technology is fundamental - the challenge lies in persuading the industry, especially small and medium sized farmers, of the advantages of new technology.

A translation follows of an article entitled "Osorno: is playing with technological innovation" recently published in Osorno's local newspaper (written by Ignacia Jarpa), giving examples of what the Osorno region is doing with Chile's potentialities having being exposed.

A technological innovation proposal was presented to group composed of the president of the Senate, Eduardo Frei, the regional director of INIA of the Tenth Region of Chile, Julio Kalazich, and the assisting professional of Agriculture, Iván Davis, in a meeting held recently in the Regional Offices of Osorno and coordinated by the Governor, Bernardo Candia.

The proposal consisted of a series of strategies for the development of the principal lines of business of the Province of Osorno and an initiative for the improvement of farm productivity and its impact in meat and milk production.
Kalazich referred to the challenges and opportunities that the agricultural and fisheries sector faces indicating that “in the principal businesses of the Southern zone, INIA has estimated potential production to be much higher than current production, which speaks of the need to implement and support diverse strategies of technological innovation that Chile requires in the medium and long term.”

POTENCIALITIES

In dairy milk the current regional production is [1300,000,000] liters approx., which could reach [6,000,000] if the hectarial production is increased. “Currently we hardly produce 3,000 liters and we could be producing 10,000 liters per hectare, that is a level similar to that produced in New Zealand, explained Kalazich.
In beef meat, the current regional production is 80 thousand tones and it could reach 200 thousand tonnes of meat. In potatoes, it is alleged that Chile may pass 500 thousand tonnes to 3.5 million tonnes and increase hectarial production from 21 to 40 hectares as a regional average, considering that currently there are potato producers, industry suppliers that have the productive level of 80 tonnes per hectare or even more.”

As regards, blueberries he affirmed that this sector also has a grand potential and may pass 8 to 20 tonnes per hectare. Lastly, in sheep, he expressed that according to a study conducted by INIA, the regional potential is much greater than 396,000 current head and may reach 4,000,000 head, also considering an increase in the production from 3 to 15 sheep head per hectare.

As regards the matter of technological innovation, the director indicated that currently INIA together with the Universidad Austral de Chile, is about to start the first actions of “Consorcio de Leche” (Diary Consortium) that will involve 90% of the dairy chain. Furthermore, at the end of last March, INIA presented 2 new projects of technological consortium projects in the sectors of potatoes and sheep to FIA and is in the process of obtaining finance.”

Lastly he indicated that “despite the fact that consortiums are a very good development strategy, there are aspects of technological innovation that are not covered by that means, and that is necessary to cover as a country, fundamentally as far as they relate to biotechnology work where INIA is carrying out several works, but requires much more infrastructure and qualified human resources, taking into account the challenges that have allowed Chile to convert itself into a agro-food potency.

As an example, he cited the creation of new varieties of potatoes that amounts to genetics in exportation, the formation of a program of genetic improvement that permits having varieties of blueberries of later production to obtain better prices, the improvement of milk quality through biotechnology tools and the identification of genes to increase weight gains of beef cows, amongst other.

INCENTIVES FOR AGRICULTURE

Iván Davis, representative of the Regional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture presented to the authority a proposal to improve farm productivity that complements the action of the Incentive System for the Recuperation of Degraded Lands (SIRSD), incorporating incentives into other parameters, in addition to phosperous and the correction of soil acidity and that contemplates a fertilization plan, a land development program and good farming practices.