We present the eight projects selected in the fourth call of Del Campo a la Despensa

We begin the new academic year by welcoming the eight food transformation and distribution initiatives that we will support in this edition of From the Field to the Pantry. From the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation we promote this call with the aim of contributing to the construction of value chains that strengthen small local production and facilitate access to sustainable food for consumers.

Under the title From the Field to the Pantry: Entrepreneurship in transformation and distribution for the leap in scale of sustainable food, this edition has been aimed at all types of food production projects in the design phase, underway or consolidated. The proposals range from livestock, agriculture, fishing or beekeeping, to other gathering or extractive activities and other ways of obtaining primary products.

It is great news to have the eight projects, which have been selected from a total of 73 presented in this edition, most of them from communities such as Catalonia, Andalusia, Galicia, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, the Balearic Islands, Madrid, the Basque Country and Extremadura.

Given the quality of the projects received, the Foundation has decided to allocate a total of 700,000 euros for this edition of the call (compared to the 600,000 euros initially planned), to support eight proposals (instead of the four or six previously estimated). The initiatives will receive this support for a maximum period of two years, with the possibility of extension of up to two more years depending on the transformative potential of the project.

“In this new edition of the Del Campo a la Despensa call, we have found innovative projects, with a high degree of solidity and consistency, dimensioned from a comprehensive and systemic perspective that gives them a high potential for transformation in the territory,” says Raquel Juste Ortega, from Red2Red and member of the jury of the fourth call for proposals of Del Campo a la Despensa. For his part, Fernando Sanz-Pastor, from Impact Bridge and also a member of the jury, says that “the selected projects have a truly unique impact on the agri-food industry. I would mainly highlight their innovative nature, both for the collaborative model in the rural areas in which they are located, and for the reinvention of certain business models that they are carrying out. These are also projects that cover the entire value chain, from primary production to distribution to the consumer.”

In all cases, the proposals presented stand out for their effort, their vocation for social impact and their commitment to the transition to sustainable food systems.

In its approaches, it highlights the approach to essential challenges for the transition to more sustainable food systems: territorial socio-economic dynamization; the improvement of efficiency and innovation in the processes of transformation, processing and/or distribution; the optimization of transport and logistics; the recovery of traditional crop varieties or native breeds; access to sustainable food for people in vulnerable situations; the promotion of citizen demand for sustainable food products, among others.

The selected projects have been:

Improvements in the production and marketing of agroecological products, local and extensive livestock farming in the Las Loras Geopark
ARGEOL (Association of the Geological Reserve of Las Loras)
Palencia y Burgos (Castilla y León)

The project has as its starting point the mostly intensive production systems, the loss of peasant culture, the degradation of agricultural landscapes, the lower incidence of the sector in the socio-economic revitalization of the territory and the absence of local produce in the short channels.

Its objective is to improve the socio-economic sustainability of the geopark’s producers, working from cooperation and participation, and for their product to be recognized, valued, accessible and visible, as well as to open new commercial channels, providing a professionalized and comprehensive service. The following are participating as agents of the project: the Association of producers AGEA Las Loras, the Entretantos Foundation, the Biodiversity Foundation, SODEBUR, GAL ADECO Camino and the Quintanas de Valdelucio Neighborhood Council.

From the ear to the plate: leap in scale and improvement in the transformation of local cereals for the conservation of traditional drylands and strengthening of the agroecological agribusiness of the sector
AIKB Ekoerrota S.L, in transformation into SPIGA NEGRA SOCIEDAD COOPERATIVA ANDALUZA
Andalusia

Spiga Negra is an agroecological project for the transformation of local cereals that seeks to take a leap in scale after 10 years of consolidation as a micro-semolera (mill) and the only “agricultural pastifice” (artisan workshop linked to local crops) in the area. From an experience based on food sovereignty, he proposes strengthening technical capacities, modernizing productive equipment, opening new markets and designing an improvement of facilities.

The phases are: technical training, investment in machinery, commercial strengthening, awareness in the hospitality industry and drafting of the technical project for the improvement of facilities. It addresses rural revitalization, the reduction of environmental impact, innovation in transformation and the recovery of traditional varieties. Producers, agricultural pastures from other territories, the Andalusian Public Agency for Agricultural Management, training agents in the gastronomic sector and distribution entities participate in it.

Improvement of efficiency and sustainability in cooperation for the distribution and transformation of local organic food in the province of Granada
Valle y Vega S.Coop.And.
Province of Granada

The project seeks to significantly improve the operational efficiency, environmental sustainability and accessibility of local organic food distribution in the province of Granada through several actions. On the one hand, the implementation of a system of returnable packaging of organic food baskets. Secondly, the development of a plan for the reduction of the carbon footprint and its registration. Thirdly, the integration and optimisation of omnichannel sales, improving the IT management system in all forms of sales and acquiring electrical equipment to optimise operations.

It also aims to consolidate the diversification of the activities of the VALLE Y VEGA cooperative, setting up an agro-industry for the production of preserves and organic beverages.

Jakigune: hub for agri-food entrepreneurship in Busturialdea-Urdaibai
BASERRIKO PRODUKTUEN MERKATURATZE SARE LABURRAK INDARTZEKO BASERRITIK URDAIBAIRA BA-UR ELKARTEA
Bizkaia (Basque Country)

Jakigune seeks to be the hub for agri-food entrepreneurship in Busturialdea-Urdaibai, with the aim of transforming the local food ecosystem from a territorial and collaborative perspective. It arises from a participatory diagnosis and responds to challenges identified by local agents, especially around school canteens. Promoted by the Association of local producers Baserritik Urdaibaira, the Urremendi Rural Development Association and the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, together with agricultural, educational and social entities, it promotes a shared infrastructure to transform, distribute and sell local and organic products, with a pedagogical approach.

With the technical assistance of the agrosocial consultancy Amaterra, the project is progressing in co-design, adaptation of the space, commissioning, consolidation and communication. This proposal corresponds to the activation of the first phase of 18 months, the basis for its complete development.

Teixint Xarxes: canals curts i justos per al camp menorquí
San Crispín S.Coop.
Minorca

The project arises from a collaborative process, between local entities and actors on the island, for the creation of an Alliance for Agroecology in Menorca. In January 2025, the Balearic Ornithological and Natural Defence Group of Menorca (GOB Menorca) and the San Crispín Cooperative held focus groups aimed at different local agents (administration, marketing, people working in agriculture and livestock farming and various entities) to identify common interests and concerns, as well as points of synergy. In March, they organized a co-creation workshop, with 40 participants from different sectors. From there emerged the areas of action of the alliance: collaboration, accompaniment, marketing, innovation and awareness-raising.

This initiative seeks to be the impetus to follow, in a safe and well-founded way, the collaborative process in the field of commercialization. It is the first phase towards a future Agroecological Distribution Center (CAD), from a shared vision of accompaniment, innovation and transformation of the local food system.

F.U.E.T. Strengthen and scale up the public-community slaughterhouse of l’Armentera
Armentera SCCL Decorator
Girona (Catalonia)

F.U.E.T. is a joint project between the agricultural cooperative Escorxador Armentera SCCL and IDRA, with a clear objective: to strengthen the short agri-food chains for farmers and butchers in the Empordà (Girona) through the collective management of the Municipal Microslaughterhouse of l’Armentera. A mature, viable experience of cooperative governance between farmers, butchers and collaborating entities. It is structured in three phases: First, the consolidation of the infrastructure to increase scale and improve its productivity; second, the expansion of the social base and alliances; and third, the dissemination of the model for its replicability.

Between the field and the pantry, local food infrastructures are key. Without them, local and organic livestock farming loses viability and access to sustainable meat products is compromised. F.U.E.T is committed to turning the public-community micro-slaughterhouse model of l’Armentera into a benchmark for sustainability and the future.

Cooperative supermarkets and small businesses towards zero waste: catalysts to transform the food system
LA OSA S.Coop.Mad Supermarket
Madrid

The project is committed to the circular economy to take on the challenge of moving towards more sustainable food systems. It seeks to promote the consumption of less processed food and without packaging waste by addressing the problem of reducing, reusing and returning packaging, together with local producers. This endeavor of LA OSA S.Coop. Mad is a demonstrative example of the potential of short supply chains and alternative networks. In addition, it seeks to prototype and test internal and shared solutions between businesses with common suppliers and co-design return systems with them.

Together, it will lay the foundations for new management formulas, offering local suppliers a network of supermarkets and stores willing to participate in the implementation of new processes (reuse and return of packaging, and others).

ComerBio – Promoting the joint marketing of local organic producers
Agrupació de Defensa Vegetal de Producció Ecològica de Ponent
Catalonia and Aragon

It is promoted by an association of 150 organic farmers from Catalonia and Aragon who cultivate 2000 hectares of olive trees, nuts, cereals, fruit, orchards and even spirulina. Since 2003, they have been collaborating to develop agriculture that respects the environment and people’s health. The project is a response to the difficulty faced with the increase in challenges, costs and stagnation in the consumption of organic food, which especially affects small producers with problems in assuming distribution and marketing, and who have neither the diversity nor the volume to enter supermarkets or other marketing platforms.

For this reason, the creation of an entity to jointly market and distribute the food they produce will be promoted. This requires not only the distribution itself, but also strengthening the dynamization of the process and the promotion of the products, as well as having expert support for adequate planning.

Starting a support

The From the Field to the Pantry program promotes a path of mutual learning that, beyond economic support, opens a space for network building and pooling of resources. In this process, the Foundation and the selected projects walk hand in hand towards common objectives. The projects will receive support for the development of a business model that allows them to achieve their sustainability over time and thus be able to achieve their objectives. From the Foundation we will also promote the meeting and exchange with and between the projects.

Members of the jury:

Piero Carucci – España | CERAI
Raquel Juste – España | Red2Red
Dionisio Ortiz | Polytechnic University of Valencia
Olga Rivas | Roberto Rivas
Salomé Santos Foundation | Fernando Sanz-Pastor Sugar Factory
| Impact Bridge