ARCAARCAAdvanced Research Center in Agribusiness

Research & innovation

Research areas

ARCA develops applied research and digital solutions to increase performance in agribusiness.

Research departments

Department of Agribusiness, Economics and Sustainable Development

The department’s research and innovation needs focus on improving the economic competitiveness of rural regions, supporting sustainable development, integrating innovative technologies into agriculture and creating effective policies to support rural communities.

Research directions
Rural development strategies and policies; agricultural strategies and policies; resource use efficiency; costs and capital; circular economy; bioeconomy and digital transformation; social innovation.
Market applications
Impact studies for agricultural policies; studies on the efficiency of production factors, short value chains and alternative technologies (vertical farming, hydroponic crops, urban agriculture); cost, financing and cost-benefit studies; circular economy studies; studies on the digitalisation of agricultural businesses and the impact of artificial intelligence; strategies for social hubs.
Beneficiaries
Farmers, professional associations (cooperatives, water user organisations, federations, interprofessional agri-food organisations) and integrators (storage, marketing).

Department of Smart Farming

The department’s research and innovation needs are closely linked to global trends in digitalisation, automation and sustainability in agriculture. The department is at the centre of digital transformation and the adoption of new technologies in agriculture.

Research directions
Living labs; digital agriculture; holistic development.
Market applications
Living labs in agribusiness; smart farms; digital solutions for monitoring agricultural processes and managing farm resources; ERP software for farm management; monitoring of soil and climatic factors and growth phenological stages; comparative studies of alternative agricultural systems (conservation, organic, conventional, precision, regenerative); studies on the resilience of communities and businesses to digital and climate change.
Beneficiaries
Farmers, professional associations, integrators and research units.

Department of Marketing and Business Transformation

The department’s research and innovation needs focus on understanding markets and consumer behaviour, and on optimising the digital presence of businesses.

Research directions
Marketing research; strategic planning; market segmentation; competitive market positioning; consumer behaviour; product design; pricing and distribution; promotion; digital marketing; leadership and management; innovation and business transformation.
Market applications
Market studies (surveys, focus groups, interviews); marketing plans, brand, advertising and promotion strategies; segmentation reports; positioning, pricing and distribution strategies; product development consultancy; digital marketing strategies (SEO, social media); leadership training; feasibility studies, plans for digitalising agricultural processes and innovation management strategies.
Beneficiaries
Farmers, agribusiness companies, producers, entrepreneurs, retailers and end customers.
Department teams

Priority domains

ARCA focuses primarily on the following domains:

  • Agri-food and the wood industry

    A domain with specialisation potential in the North-East Region.

  • Bioeconomy

    A smart specialisation domain.

  • Health and food

    An ESFRI domain.

ARCA may also work in secondary domains defined at regional, national or European level: energy, environment and climate change; new and emerging technologies; information and communication technology, space and security.