Enhanced techniques for optimising water & nutrient use in strawberry production close to the Doana National Park

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The increase in intensive agricultural production is generating problems in EU countries due to pressures on water resources, especially in southern France, Spain and Portugal. Huelva in Andalusia (southern Spain) has a strawberry cultivation area of 6 600 hectares and a production of 334 767 tonnes (in 2018). The region accounts for 97% of Spanish strawberry production, and over 25% of EU production. However, over 7 900 ha of berry cultivation, of which 40% are strawberry farms, are located north of the Doana National Park, one of the largest wetland complexes in Western Europe and a Natura 2000 and Ramsar site. Strawberry in this area is cultivated using groundwater from aquifer 27 "Almonte-Marismas", which also feeds several wetlands in Doana. This overpressure on the aquifer and the decline in its groundwater levels is impacting Doana, causing changes to vegetation, drying out ponds and impacting the populations of some birds. The wetlands are also experiencing rapid eutrophication linked with excessive nutrients from agricultural activity.

Regional authorities have implemented a Special Land Use Plan to enhance the irrigated agricultural areas north of the Doana forest, and have purchased farms to reduce water extractions from the aquifer. However, in spite of these initiatives, in February 2019 the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority initiated procedures to declare 3 of the aquifers 5 groundwater bodies at risk of not achieving the required good status. In parallel with public-led initiatives, it is important to continue involving farmers and professional agricultural representatives in improving their management and reducing pressure on the aquifer. In this sense, innovative irrigation and fertigation systems, such as on-demand decision support systems (DSS), offer great potential to reduce quantitative and qualitative pressures through enhanced water and nutrient use efficiency. However, they are scarcely adopted in soil-based farms in the area, or in other EU regions. There is a strong need to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits of water-saving systems to foster their adoption by farmers, alongside support from advisory services.

OBJECTIVES

The LIFE 4DOANA project aims to demonstrate and foster the adoption of a new on-demand decision support system (DSS) for soil-based intensive agricultural cultivation of strawberries, which permits increased irrigation efficiency, reduced water extractions and reduced nutrient pollution. It builds on the work of the FERDOANA water efficiency training project in the Doana area.

The LIFE projects specific objectives are to:

Demonstrate on commercial strawberry farms, in the area of the Doana National Park (Huelva, Spain), the technical, environmental and socio-economic benefits of the on-demand DSS for enhanced irrigation and nutrient management;

Develop and implement virtual and farm-based advisory and training systems to foster the adoption of techniques and practices for enhanced water and nutrient management in soil-based strawberry production;

Foster the replication and transfer of project technologies in Huelva (Spain) and inPortugal and France, countries with high pressures on water resources from intensive agricultural cultivation;

Evaluate the environmental and socio-economic impact of the project actions;

Disseminate the project results to the general public and to transfer the results and lessons learnt to strawberry farmers, public authorities and other relevant stakeholders.

 

The project has been designed with a multi-purpose approach, aiming not only to reduce water extractions from the aquifer but also to minimise nitrate and phosphorus pollution. The area north of Doana is included within a nitrate vulnerable zone. The project contributes to achieving the objectives of the 7th Environmental Action Programme, the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), and the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC). It will directly contribute to the measures identified in the Guadalquivir River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) to reduce the pressure on aquifer 27.

RESULTS

Expected results:

An innovative on-demand DSS for enhanced water and nutrient use demonstrated on 6 commercial soil-based strawberry farms (estimated surface of 3 ha per farm);

In-field advisory service on enhanced practices for water and nutrient use provided to 40 strawberry farmers in the surroundings of the Doana National Park;

At least 100 strawberry farmers and technicians receive training and advice through the projects virtual advisory and training platform;

Developed Business Plans and replication actions to bring to the EU market the new on-demand DSS for soil-based intensive agricultural production, and premium agricultural advisory services on enhanced water and nutrient use;

Reduced water use (m3/ha) by 20% and increased yields by 4% in the project demonstration fields;

Reduction by 10% in the use of chemical fertilisers (kg/ha) in the project demonstration fields;

Over 70% of the farmers and technicians trained and advised through the projects virtual advisory and training platform indicate that the training has permitted them to implement changes in their farms for enhanced water and nutrient use;

The 40 farmers receiving technical advice reduce their water use by at least 7%.