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Workshops on innovations in soil and water management in Spain
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Roy Agterbos
Project Manager Events and Business Development
Last month, about 25 leading technical managers and extension officers at agricultural cooperatives and companies gathered for a bilateral two-day workshop on soil and water management in Murcia, Spain. As many vegetable farmers are unfamiliar with the ecosystem of the soil, this initiative tries to give them a better understanding of how innovative technology helps improve soil management, reduces water consumption, and enhances their yield. The workshop is part of the Water for Food Programme, which aims to improve food security and sustainable water use in the agrifood domain through public-private partnerships.
Exchange of practices and applied research
Climate change is forcing farmers in Europe to cope with the impact of extreme weather events. Drought, floods, high temperatures, and salinisation have an impact on yields and the quality of agricultural products. Healthy soil is the basis for the efficient uptake of water and nutrients, and a healthy and well-maintained soil microbiome improves crop resistance. “Spain and the Netherlands both have high-level expertise on agricultural development and water issues in open field vegetable production,” says Peter Prins, Senior Advisor Water & Agriculture at NWP. “Both countries also face challenges regarding fresh water supply, prolonged droughts, and salinisation. Sharing practices and applied research helps and encourages farmers to improve their current practices, use innovative technology and become more resilient.”
Both countries also face challenges regarding fresh water supply, prolonged droughts, and salinisation. Sharing practices and applied research helps and encourages farmers to improve their current practices, use innovative technology and become more resilient.
Peter Prins
Senior Advisor Water & Agriculture at Netherlands Water Partnership
Workshop on innovations in soil and water management in Murcia, Spain
Benefits for growers
The unique setting of the workshop brought the expertise of specialised companies, researchers, technical managers, and farmers together. The focus of the workshop’s presentations was on practical aspects and the benefits for growers, especially in the most important open-field crops (such as cabbage, lettuce, and onions). Inspiring and leading speakers went in-depth on aspects of more efficient cultivation and making efficient use of inputs for crop resistance. The moderators concluded the workshop with an inventory of knowledge gaps, issues, and project opportunities. Besides the workshop, there was a site visit to Bejo Iberico’s R&D station. Bejo Iberico shared its experiences on water harvesting and improving soil management as the basis for a healthy crop. Some aspects of regenerative agriculture, such as preparing good quality compost, triggered participants.
Conference showed how technical and scientific advances are being implemented
Mrs Carmen Luján of the Spanish La Huerta de San Isidro S.A., one of the Spanish participants, looks back positively on the two-day workshop. “This conference allowed us to see different perspectives in the sector and how current technical and scientific advances are being implemented. It was extremely gratifying to discover that one of your subjects of attention was the study of the soil, which is something that we at La Huerta de San Isidro S.A. have always emphasised and tried to pass on to our agricultural technicians. We would like to thank you for your contributions, and we sincerely hope that you can continue to provide quality solutions so that we can continue to live in a world based on the land, on nature, and on human contact.”
This conference allowed us to see different perspectives in the sector and how current technical and scientific advances are being implemented
Carmen Luján
La Huerta de San Isidro S.A.
Site visit to Bejo Iberico’s R&D station
The basis for future research projects at the water-agrifood nexus
A scoping mission earlier this year helped shape the programme of this bilateral two-day workshop. The workshop itself aims to generate a basis for exchange programmes, study visits, partnerships, and joint applied research projects in the future at the water-agrifood nexus. It was organised by the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), the Embassy of the Netherlands in Spain, and regional partners (Consejería de Murcia, Proexport, and Bejo Iberico). NWP executes the Water for Food Programme, which is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality in the Netherlands. Wageningen University and Research supported the workshop by moderating it.
