Classrooms in southern Gran Canaria have become a testing ground for the next technological revolution in the island's agricultural sector. The Sergio Alonso Foundation has completed a series of knowledge transfer workshops at the Faro de Maspalomas Secondary School in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, with the aim of introducing cutting-edge digital innovation, automation, and robotics into training programs linked to the primary sector. This initiative is part of the AgroSOS project, a co-development platform that seeks to bridge the technological gap in rural areas and promote skilled employment among young people in the southern region.
The foundation's technical proposal has been replicated internationally at the Pizza for SDGs sustainability forum held in Gran Canaria, where two practical guides were presented. These guides are designed to facilitate the replication of these engineering systems in other educational centers, agricultural cooperatives, and organizations throughout the archipelago. The educational tools address the transformation of the traditional production model through specific manuals for the complete electrification of combustion-powered agricultural tractors and the creation of FarmBot systems. FarmBot is an open-source technology that robotically automates planting, selective irrigation, and pest control using precision coordinates.
The viability of the AgroSOS manuals is based on an educational cooperation consortium that connects the talent of vocational training centers with the technological business sector. The development of the prototypes and the drafting of the technical guidelines have benefited from the active participation of teams of teachers and students from IES El Rincón, CIFP Felo Monzón Grau Bassas, and IES Luis Vives, working in coordination with the engineering team at Dr. Stetter ITQ. The involvement of these institutions allows students in San Bartolomé de Tirajana to acquire skills in mechatronics, programming, and renewable energy, directly applied to the viability of agriculture in the Canary Islands.
The implementation of these methodologies at the IES Faro de Maspalomas school aims to make farming more technically appealing, given the significant challenges posed by generational change and a shortage of skilled labor in the Canary Islands. The digitalization of cultivation processes allows future farmers in the southern midlands to manage water resources with rigorous control, a crucial factor in a climate zone subject to structural aridity. The introduction of intelligent monitoring systems drastically reduces the use of chemical inputs and optimizes operating costs for farms dedicated to growing tropical fruits and vegetables in the municipality's valleys.
External validation of the AgroSOS project through the Pizza for SDGs innovation methodology reinforces the role of the Gran Canaria Island Council and the European Commission as co-financing entities for EU resilience programs. The manuals published by the Sergio Alonso Foundation ensure compliance with the cohesion funds audit trail by promoting practical solutions to climate change and agricultural soil degradation. These educational resources are now available to local agricultural organizations in the south of the island to accelerate the energy transition of pumping systems and heavy machinery without the need for costly investments in foreign patents.
The success of the knowledge transfer developed in the classrooms of Maspalomas lies in its ability to connect environmental sustainability with the economic profitability of traditional farmland. The use of open-source software and the self-construction of FarmBot automation modules democratize access to precision agriculture, enabling small family farms in southern Gran Canaria to compete in the hotel and retail distribution channels. The project lays the foundation for a model where advanced technology is embedded in the municipality's educational base, transforming the professional profile of Canarian agriculture towards European standards of efficiency, digitalization, and food sovereignty.
