FERTINNOWA

Partners

Proefstation Voor De Groenteteelt (PSKW), Belgium
Proefcentrum Voor Sierteelt – PCS, Belgium
Association Provençale De Recherche et d’Experimentation Legumiere (APREL), France
Centro di Sperimentazione ed Assistenza Agricola (CERSAA), Italy
Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno (TNO), The Netherlands
Stichting Proeftuin Zwaagdijk (ZW), The Netherlands
Instituto Andaluz de Investigaciony Formacion Agraria Pesquera Alimentaria y de la Produccion Ecologica (IFAPA), Spain
East Malling Research (EMR), United Kingdom
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung Ev (Fraunhofer), Germany
Centrum Doradztwa Rolniczego W Brwinowie (CDR), Poland
Instytut Ogrodnictwa (IO), Poland
Universidad de Almeria (UAL), Spain
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), United Kingdom
Fundacion Cajamar (FC), Spain
Centro de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnologicas de Extremadura (CICYTEX), Spain
Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Spain
Instituto Navarro de Tecnologias e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias SA (INTIA), Spain
Priva BV (PRIVA BV) BV, The Netherlands
Comite d’Action Technique et Economique (CATE), France
Kmetijsko Gozdarska Zbornika Slovenije Kmetijsko Gozdarski Zavod Maribor (CAFS), Slovenia
Provinciaal Proefcentrum Voor De Groenteteelt Oostvlaanderen VZW (PCG), Belgium,
Proefcentrum Hoogstraten (PCH), Belgium
Optima Agrik PTY LTD (OA), South Africa

Funding body

Horizon 2020 – European Commission.

Objectives

In European countries, the cultivation of fertigated crops experience scarcity of water, and the intensity of cultivation poses significant risks to water quality. The main objective of the FERTINNOWA thematic network is to create a meta-knowledge database on innovative technologies and practices for fertigation of horticultural crops. FERTINNOWA will also build a knowledge exchange platform to evaluate existing and novel technologies (innovation potential, synergies, gaps, barriers) for fertigated crops and ensure wide dissemination to all stakeholders involved of the most promising technologies and best practices.

A multi-actor integrated approach will be used through the FERTINNOWA platform which will involve various stakeholders (researchers, growers, policy-makers, industry, environmental groups etc.) at several levels including the socio-economic and regulatory level (national and European) with a special focus on the EU Water Framework Directive and Nitrate Directive. Information will be gathered at national level to feed a European benchmark study that will evaluate and compare existing technologies used at various horticulture sectors, including vegetables, fruit and ornamentals in different climate zones.

All tools, databases and other resources generated will be shared within the consortium and the stakeholders’ group and will be made available to the broader scientific community, policy-makers, the industry and the public at large. FERTINNOWA will help the growers to implement innovative technologies in order to optimize water and nutrient use efficiency thus reducing the environmental impact.

Expected results

Close the gap between knowledge and growers with regards to fertigated crops through the gathering of knowledge, state of the art, and innovative solutions, sharing of this knowledge, best technologies and practices, and the continuous involvement of the growers
Support to action including water reuse and recycling, water and wastewater treatment with recovery of resources, water governance, and decision support systems and monitoring
Harmonise horticulture with essential natural resources on which farming depends and ameliorate the management of natural resources – in line with environmental requirements – to increase horticultural productivity and output sustainability
Increase the application of water-related solutions and validation of at least 8 innovative technologies and best practices which will result in the further development of sustainable water solutions for fertigated crops
Showcase of relevant exchanged technologies by consortium partners to local growers during field visits
Provide growers with effectie informative and dissemination tools in the different languages on how to implement and use the appointed technologies.