News

• The HIGOS Operational Group seeks to make Spanish figs a safer and more competitive product through research, technology and quality certifications
• The project will continue until 2027 and integrates Local Action Groups (LAGs), companies, universities and technology centers.

Dried figs are one of Spain's most emblematic products, especially those of Extremadura. In recent years, they have garnered increasing interest due to their potential in both domestic and export markets. However, maintaining their quality and ensuring they reach consumers in optimal condition remains a challenge, given the dried fig's sensitivity to humidity, the drying process, and the growth of mold, all of which can compromise food safety.

In this context of growth, the FIGS Operational Group (OG) was created to provide the sector with innovative tools that improve the hygienic and sanitary quality of the fruit and strengthen its competitiveness. Although the project is still underway—the expected closing date is May 2027 —significant progress has already been made on several experimental farms and in establishing connections with technology centers.

Goals

The GO HIGOS project was created with the purpose of increasing the profitability of dried figs and their derivatives by incorporating technologies and improvements in production processes, from the field to marketing. The project's main objectives include:

1. Implement control and monitoring systems on experimental farms.

2. Establish innovative techniques for harvesting and initial handling in the field.

3. Optimize storage, drying   and the industrialization of dried figs.

4. Define environmentally friendly practices for packaging and storage in industry.

5. Create a quality label that guarantees its traceability and food safety.

6. Creation of a data management and real-time monitoring platform .

7. To market the results of the applied techniques.

8. Develop a “Living Lab”, an environment that allows for real-world testing, so that work with producers can be developed through open and participatory collaboration.   for testing and validating innovations.

9. Implement a communication plan to publicize the progress.

Thus, GO HIGOS combines actions in the field, industry, Research and Development (R&D) and communication to act transversally throughout the entire chain of the Spanish dried fig.

Initial progress and research

During the first phase, the GO has focused its work on field experimentation and coordination between entities. As Marisol Barras Guzmán , the project coordinator, explains, “two technical workshops have been organized in which the studies carried out on six experimental farms under the direction of the Extremadura Center for Scientific and Technological Research (CICYTEX) , along with research from the University of Extremadura (UEX), were presented to identify toxigenic molds and mycotoxins present in the fruit.”

In addition, the project has been selected by the National Center for Food Technology (CNTA) to carry out a moisture analysis in fresh figs and develop predictive models with portable NIR equipment - analysis devices that use near infrared light to measure internal properties of a food without the need to cut or destroy it - a task that will continue until November and that complements the GO's quality control objectives.

The GO itself points out that "the project is still under development and the final results will arrive in the coming years, but the first actions are already providing useful information and paving the way towards the modernization of the sector."

In parallel, the project's official website -gohigos.es- has been launched and initial investments have been made by entities such as "Regadhigos" and "Higos El Pajarero" , aimed at providing resources for the field and analysis phases.

Next steps and challenges

Looking ahead to the next phases, GO HIGOS has planned several key actions that will decisively shape the project's course:

• Antennas and sensors will be implemented on the experimental farms with the aim of measuring critical variables such as soil moisture and temperature.

• Progress will be made in creating and certifying the quality label so that figs bearing it meet rigorous hygiene and sanitation standards.

• Within the framework of the collaboration with the CNTA, predictive models will be developed based on humidity data and NIR spectra in fresh figs.

• In terms of dissemination, the “Living Lab” is expected to function as a platform to validate the acceptance and effectiveness of the innovations developed.

Likewise, these challenges are demanding and require a process of coordination, testing, and continuous adjustments.

Participants and funding

The GO HIGOS, of a supra-regional nature (Catalonia, Castile and León and Extremadura), combines actors from the productive, technological and academic sectors:

• Association for the Integral Development of Sierra de Montánchez and Tamuja (ADISMONTA) (project coordinator)

• REGADHIGOS (ALMOHARÍN)

• Association of Hunting Professionals (APROCEX)

• Sierra de Montehigos Cooperative

• Higos El Pajarero SL

• Cooperatives of the Jerte Valley

• GREDOSUR (Ávila)

• CICYTEX

• UEX

• Caudal Editions SC   (communication and documentation)

The funding comes from public funds, with 80% of the budget covered by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and 20% by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). The awarded amount is €217,899.12.