Study-tour to Spain: Inspirations for today’s agricultural sector - smart agriculture, technologies and innovations

19.03.2020

An 8-day study tour of the UzWaterAware project for 24 Uzbekistan specialists to get acquainted with best practices and technologies of water conservation, and the productive use of water resources for agriculture in Spain, as well as strengthen the role of the media, NGOs, and the press services of state agencies in promoting new approaches for the efficient use of water resources in the agricultural sector.

An 8-day study tour of the UzWaterAware project led 24 specialists, including journalists, representatives of NGOs and press services of the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME) to Spain, which shares with Uzbekistan similar soil- and climatic conditions. The tour was organized with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Spain.

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The UzWaterAware Project (“Raising Awareness and Partnership for Sustainable Water and Environmental Development in Uzbekistan. Component 3”) is implemented by the Regional Environmental Center of Central Asia (CAREC) with financial support from the European Union. National partner of the project is the Ministry of Water Resources of Uzbekistan.

The main goals of the study tour were:

- to get acquainted with best practices and technologies of water conservation, and the productive use of water resources for agriculture in Spain.

- to strengthen the role of the media, NGOs, and the press services of state agencies in promoting new approaches for the efficient use of water resources in the agricultural sector.

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Earlier, in May 2019, as part of the UzWaterAware project, a similar study tour was organized to Germany, where journalists and press services of the interested agencies of Uzbekistan met with representatives of German water and environmental organizations. The participants were presented the best practices in water treatment, wastewater management, and other methods of efficient and productive use of water resources at the municipal level.

Some numbers and facts about study tour to Spain

During the UzWaterAware study tour to Spain agricultural facilities included modern greenhouse farms, production areas of modern irrigation technologies, regional water management structures, training facilities and much more. The tour included the numerous interactive visits such as

  1. A training course by professionals and members of the Association of Agri-Food Journalists of Spain (APAE), which took place at the School of Agricultural, Food and Bio-systems Engineering (ETSIAAB) in Madrid on “How to report on the agricultural sector”. The training was opened in the presence of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Kingdom of Spain Mr. Jakhongir Ganiev. “I think that the results of this trip will contribute to improving the skills of representatives of the mass media and state press services of Uzbekistan in covering events in the field of agriculture and water management of the country, as well as acquaint with the experience of Spain in the introduction of new agricultural and water-saving technologies,” said Zhakhongir Ganiyev. “Spain ranks second among EU countries and sixth among all countries in the world in terms of fruit- and vegetable production. In this regard, it is very important to study the experience of Spain in the introduction of new technologies in the field of water resources and development of intensive agriculture.”
  2. After the training, a presentation of FENACORE, Spain’s largest non-governmental National Association of Irrigators, was given. About 80% of agricultural land in Spain is cultivated and irrigated by organizations united under the umbrella of FENACORE.
  3. The next meeting was at the Ministry of Environmental Transition of Spain (MITECO), where the leading expert in the field of water management, Mr. Carlos Escartin, informed journalists about water management, systematization, and control at the state level in Spain He noted that Spain was the first country in the world to establish river basin management authorities – the Ebro river basin in March 1926.

“Spain’s first water code was adopted in 1866,” said Carlos Escartin. “The next one, adopted in 1879, was in force for over a hundred years. The principles of water resources management in Spain were formulated in 1985 when the Water Supply Act was adopted, and the EU Water Framework Directive was adopted in 2003. We have made quite significant changes in this area because we not only create opportunities for the management of resources but also use them very accurately.

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  1. A meeting took place at the University of Castilla-La Mancha with a presentation of the representatives of the Faculty of Agriculture about the peculiarities of education, their team projects, and the role of the education system with respect to efficient water management.
  2. The participants also visited the National Hydrogen Centre (Centro Nacional del Hidrogeno) on the use of hydrogen from agricultural wastes and the application of hydrogen-based engines and batteries – finding environmentally friendly solutions to climate change.
  3. Representatives of the Water Agency, provided an introduction into the experiences gained in the management of major irrigation schemes in Spain.
  4. The participants had a chance to visit the Vadomjon Dam of the Guadalquivir River, where they were introduced to the integrated management of watersheds.
  5. The group proceeded to the area of Almeria which represents the world largest area of agricultural projection in the country. It occupies second place in the world by volume of greenhouses, with a total of 75 thousand hectares of land allocated for those. Almeria is home to almost 50% of Spain’s total water-saving greenhouses (35 thousand hectares). The group visited the experimental center “Las Palmerillas”, which focuses on promoting new types of fruits grown in greenhouses for export, among others papayas and dragon fruits.
  6. The visit at ANECOOP foundation and the University of Almeria Experimental Farm Foundation underlined that in order to increase the competitiveness of the agricultural industry research, innovation, and technology transfer to producers are key elements for a modern agricultural strategy.
  7. A visit was organized to Azud Group Company and its factory, Spain’s leader in the production and maintenance of modern drip irrigation, filtration, water treatment, and climate control systems.
  8. Similar, the agro-industrial group Novagric provided examples of modern experimental greenhouses, including vertical ones, as well as other “smart technologies”, aimed at sustainable agriculture.

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“Both study tours were organized to Europe on purpose. European countries have reached a significant progress in managing the resources, including water. Spain has become a leading fruit and vegetable exporter to Europe for relatively short period of time with water and soil conditions similar to Uzbekistan. In this regard, we would like to thank the European Union for their support to Uzbekistan given within UzWaterAware project. We hope that these study tours and its inspired participants will contribute to further development and transition taking place in Uzbekistan’s water strategy and agricultural policy,” summarized Shakhnoza Umarova, Director of CAREC Branch Office in Uzbekistan, UzWaterAware Project Manager.

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