Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology
Irrigation sustainability is particularly important in the vicinity of Doñana National Park (Huelva, Spain), where Europe’s most important wetland area coexists with a profitable strawberry irrigation activity. In this paper, an innovation and technology transfer project was laid out. The project wa...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/6/833 |
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| author | Pedro Gavilán Natividad Ruiz Luis Miranda Elsa Martínez-Ferri Juana I. Contreras Rafael Baeza David Lozano |
| author_facet | Pedro Gavilán Natividad Ruiz Luis Miranda Elsa Martínez-Ferri Juana I. Contreras Rafael Baeza David Lozano |
| author_sort | Pedro Gavilán |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Irrigation sustainability is particularly important in the vicinity of Doñana National Park (Huelva, Spain), where Europe’s most important wetland area coexists with a profitable strawberry irrigation activity. In this paper, an innovation and technology transfer project was laid out. The project was promoted by the Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), belonging to the Regional Government of Andalusia. The main objective of the project was to contribute to the sustainability of the complex ecological, productive, and social system of this region. The project was focused on the rational use of water resources. Experimentation, demonstration, technology transfer, and training activities were carried out, involving public administrations, companies, and private farms. The project was carried out in collaboration with strawberry companies covering a total surface area of 1900 hectares. Irrigation application efficiency and irrigation water productivity increased by 66% and there was also a significant increase in water saving (44%), without resulting production losses. The success of the activity was based on the implication of farmers in experimentation assignments. During a five-year time span, irrigation trials took place on several farms. This fact allowed a progressive improvement of irrigation management by farmers based on confidence in the experimental work results. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:07:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dcec0ca109a7402e8f49aef3cc8a52ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:07:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-dcec0ca109a7402e8f49aef3cc8a52ef2023-11-21T11:05:46ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-03-0113683310.3390/w13060833Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO MethodologyPedro Gavilán0Natividad Ruiz1Luis Miranda2Elsa Martínez-Ferri3Juana I. Contreras4Rafael Baeza5David Lozano6Centre “Alameda del Obispo”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 14004 Córdoba, SpainCentre “Alameda del Obispo”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 14004 Córdoba, SpainCentre “Las Torres-Tomejil”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 41200 Sevilla, SpainCentre “Churriana”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 29140 Málaga, SpainCentre “La Mojonera”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 04745 Almería, SpainCentre “La Mojonera”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 04745 Almería, SpainCentre “Alameda del Obispo”, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), 14004 Córdoba, SpainIrrigation sustainability is particularly important in the vicinity of Doñana National Park (Huelva, Spain), where Europe’s most important wetland area coexists with a profitable strawberry irrigation activity. In this paper, an innovation and technology transfer project was laid out. The project was promoted by the Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), belonging to the Regional Government of Andalusia. The main objective of the project was to contribute to the sustainability of the complex ecological, productive, and social system of this region. The project was focused on the rational use of water resources. Experimentation, demonstration, technology transfer, and training activities were carried out, involving public administrations, companies, and private farms. The project was carried out in collaboration with strawberry companies covering a total surface area of 1900 hectares. Irrigation application efficiency and irrigation water productivity increased by 66% and there was also a significant increase in water saving (44%), without resulting production losses. The success of the activity was based on the implication of farmers in experimentation assignments. During a five-year time span, irrigation trials took place on several farms. This fact allowed a progressive improvement of irrigation management by farmers based on confidence in the experimental work results.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/6/833soil water balanceevapotranspirationirrigation efficiencywater productivityagricultural extension |
| spellingShingle | Pedro Gavilán Natividad Ruiz Luis Miranda Elsa Martínez-Ferri Juana I. Contreras Rafael Baeza David Lozano Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology Water soil water balance evapotranspiration irrigation efficiency water productivity agricultural extension |
| title | Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology |
| title_full | Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology |
| title_fullStr | Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology |
| title_short | Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology |
| title_sort | improvement of strawberry irrigation sustainability in southern spain using fao methodology |
| topic | soil water balance evapotranspiration irrigation efficiency water productivity agricultural extension |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/6/833 |
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