Portal de Cartagena
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The "La Caixa" Foundation is integrated into the Chair of Sustainable Agriculture of the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT).
Starting today, it will promote the agricultural sustainability project promoted by farmers through the Chair, whose main objective is to develop a sustainable and effective system to eliminate nitrates from the groundwater used for irrigation in the Campo de Cartagena.
The addendum for the incorporation of the Foundation in the Chair has been signed this morning in Rectorate the rector, Alejandro Díaz Morcillo;
the commercial director of CaixaBank in Murcia, Gerardo Cuartero;
the representatives of FECOAM and COAG Santiago Martínez and Miguel Padilla.
UPCT researchers and farmers focus their efforts on the elimination of nitrates from Quaternary aquifer waters concentrated in the brines coming from desalobradora.
The first results of the tests, carried out at the Tomás Ferro Farm of the University, allow the system to be described as very successful to address this elimination.
Water from the Cuarternario well is brackish.
When pumped from the wells it can not be used for irrigation due to its saline content, which is why it is necessary to dislodge it.
The desalobradoras obtain a rejection of brine around 25% of the extracted water and 75% is destined to irrigated land.
The Chair intends to reduce the amount of brine to 5% rejection, according to the Chair's director, Juan José Martínez, Professor of Plant Production.
The Chair also collaborates with the companies Insal and Ecogest for the optimum use of the well water.
This project aims to reduce the generation of brine as much as possible.
Other challenges
Although these lines of work are priorities, those responsible for the Chair and the companies that comprise it are aware of "we must also respond to another series of sustainability challenges that we face in a changing environment and very pressured by the human overpopulation that needs more and more food resources, "says Martínez.
In this sense, "the optimal use of water for irrigation, the control of fertilizers and leachates and the implementation of programs for the promotion and conservation of biodiversity in the Campo de Cartagena will be lines of work that will be driven by the support of the La Caixa Foundation and the farmers of Campo de Cartagena ", adds the researcher.
The "La Caixa" banking foundation is the first foundation in Spain, and one of the most important in the world, as it is the third largest in the world in terms of assets, after two prestigious foundations such as the Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.
Now he has wanted to actively join the projects developed by the Chair of Sustainable Agriculture, not only in the field of research but in the field of dissemination and training.
The Chair of Sustainable Agriculture is made up of UPCT, FECOAM, COAG and thirteen agricultural companies and cooperatives (Coagacart, Levante Sur, Fruveg, Gregal, Hortamira, La Pacheca-Spalm, Cooperative Society Cota 120, Agriculture and Exports, San Cayetano, Camposeven, Southeast Agricultural, Sun and Land Campo De Cartagena and Surinver formed the Chair in March 2017.
Among other distinctions, the Chair received the ecodesign award in the last edition of the Sustainable Development Awards of the Region of Murcia for its denitrification project.
It was also awarded in the 1st edition of the 'Diario del Campo' awards.
Source: UPCT
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