The Junta de Andalucía has invested close to 20 million euros in the modernization of the Agrarian Regional Offices of Andalucía. The Minister of Agriculture, Fishing, Water, and Rural Development, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, has emphasized the «profound transformation» of these 60 strategic administrative units, driven by the Transformation Plan 2021–2024 (PTOCA) during the closure, in Malaga, of the ‘OCA en RED’ conference.
Fernández-Pacheco has stated that this plan has represented «the greatest modernization undertaken in the OCA network in recent decades.» Currently, four new headquarters are being built in Motril, Pozoblanco, Cortegana, and Ronda, and 39 improvement actions have been carried out in existing facilities. The fleet has been renewed with the addition of 143 hybrid and electric vehicles, and individualized attention has been reinforced with the management of over 90,000 prior appointments in 2024. In addition, the figure of the Provincial Coordinator has been created, which allows strengthening internal coordination and territorial structuring of the network.
In the digital realm, key tools have been implemented such as the Agrarian Virtual Office (OVA), the CINTA system for intelligent automation of inspections, and the ‘CreceA’ project for the digitization of agricultural operations. All of this is complemented by a new evaluation system, based on a panel of indicators, which allows for transparent and rigorous monitoring of the performance of each office.
Key role after the DANA
During his speech at the conference closing, the minister wanted to make a special mention of the role of the OCA during the torrential rains of recent months. Thus, he highlighted their involvement from the very beginning in the assessment of damage to rural roads and agricultural operations, a task he described as «exemplary,» both for its speed and technical rigor, and the human closeness with which it was carried out.
The ‘OCAs en RED’ event has also served to mark the beginning of a new phase. The Ministry is already working on the consolidation of a network of OCA even «more cohesive, recognizable, and with its own identity». «The goal is for any farmer or livestock owner, in any part of Andalucía, to identify their OCA as a reference and trusted space,» stated Ramón Fernández-Pacheco.
The commitment of the Andalusian Government is to continue moving towards «a more useful, modern, and close administration.» The path initiated with the Transformation Plan of the OCAs has shown that «it is possible to modernize without losing closeness, innovate without losing human interaction, and digitize without leaving anyone behind,» he concluded.
