Meet IGAMAOT

IGAMAOT (The General Inspection of Agriculture, Sea, Environment and Spatial Planning) is a central service of Portugal’s Direct State Administration responsible for control, inspection and audit activities across bodies overseen by the Ministers for the Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Environment and Energy, and Agriculture and the Sea. 

This month, we spoke with the IGAMAOT team within the scope of the EnSafe project, which developed Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions to tackle environmental crimes. The project, recently concluded, was carried out in partnership with INESC TEC. 

How did the collaboration between IGAMAOT and INESC TEC begin? 

The partnership emerged during an event under the European project EMERITUS, funded by the Horizon Europe programme, and focused on tackling environmental crime. EMERITUS targeted the development of technologies to support investigations into the illegal transfer and disposal of waste and water pollution. This initial contact made it possible to identify shared interests and synergies, leading to the design of joint national initiatives in environmental protection and spatial planning. 

What stands out in this partnership? 

IGAMAOT highlights the highly positive combination of expertise and capabilities of both organisations, complying with their respective missions. There has been continuous commitment from both sides, with a clear focus on achieving results with practical application. 

What decisions or processes did EnSafe aim to support? 

EnSafe provides analytical information that contributes to the continuous improvement cycle of the risk analysis systems used by IGAMAOT to prioritise interventions. The project transforms large volumes of existing data – particularly electronic waste tracking documents (eGAR) – into risk indicators. This supports the identification of areas, targets or waste flows with a higher likelihood of unlawful activity. Hence, EnSafe enables a more informed selection of cases requiring in-depth analysis, including patterns, inconsistencies or anomalies in records that may signal illegal activities. The system does not replace human decision-making, but strengthens IGAMAOT’s capacity to act more strategically, informed by data in the fight against waste-related environmental crime. 

What were the main challenges in turning eGAR data into reliable information? 

The primary challenges were the scale and complexity of the eGAR data, which generate millions of records each year, and the need to design a methodology suited to analytical purposes. Close and ongoing collaboration between teams -including numerous technical meetings – was essential to ensure a deep understanding of waste management processes. This made it possible to correctly interpret the data and identify indirect patterns and anomalies associated with illicit activities. Another challenge was achieving a systemic view of the information and validating the developed indicators against real cases, ensuring their reliability in supporting inspection activities. 

What does IGAMAOT value in this experience with INESC TEC? 

IGAMAOT considers this a highly valued experience, built on close and synergistic collaboration that leverages the strengths of both organisations in fulfilling their mission. The high level of commitment and technical expertise of all those involved is particularly noted, as are the regular meetings to harmonise plans and technical discussion. INESC TEC’s availability and dedication to the success of the joint work have been especially relevant. 

What can we expect from this collaboration in the coming years? 

IGAMAOT and INESC TEC are committed to maintaining and strengthening their partnership and are already working on a new joint project. Both organisations acknowledge the crucial importance of cooperation and the integration of multiple technical competencies in addressing complex problems characterised by numerous variables and large volumes of data. This collaboration is vital to meeting current challenges, including the implementation of environmental legislation, ensuring more effective protection of the environment and public health.