Thematic network to improve water management in fertigated crops

FERTINNOWA is a thematic network funded under Horizon 2020 dealing with innovative water management in fertigated crops. Fertigation (nutrients added to irrigation water) is an integral part of modern sustainable horticultural production.

FERTINNOWA means “Transfer of INNOvative techniques for sustainable WAter use in FERtigated crops” and the project aims to improve water quality, improve water use efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

“The effects of climate change and population growth on the demand for water and concerns over water quality due to environmental contamination are drivers for the development of innovative technologies to deliver more sustainable water use for fertigated crops” - Els Berckmoes, project coordinator.

FERTINNOWA will collect and exchange information on best practice, methods and technologies for the sustainable production of fertigated horticultural crops. 23 partners from 10 countries (9 EU countries and South Africa) are working together in the FERTINNOWA consortium and they are inviting many more to get involved in the network. The network will create a meta-knowledge database of innovative technologies and practices for the fertigation of horticultural crops. It will also set up a knowledge exchange platform to evaluate existing and novel technologies (innovation potential, synergies, gaps, barriers) for fertigated crops. This platform will also enable a wide number of researchers, growers, policy-makers, industry, environmental groups and more to provide and can find out about these innovative practices. FERTINNOWA will also gather information at national level in 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 resources generated will be available in a number of different languages and widely disseminated with the ultimate goal of helping growers to implement innovative technologies in order to optimise water and nutrient use efficiency and therefore reducing the environmental impact.

Partners:

• Coordinator: Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt, Belgium, els.berckmoes@proefstation.be
• OA, South Africa,
• PCH, Belgium,
• CAFS, Slovenia,
• CATE, France,
• PRIVA BV, The Netherlands
• INTIA, Spain,
• IVIA, Spain
• CICYTEX, Spain
• FC, Spain
• AHDB, UK,
• UAL, Spain,
• IO, Poland
• CDR, Poland,
• Fraunhofer, Germany,
• NIAB EMR, UK,
• IFAPA, Spain,
• ZW, The Netherlands
• TNO, The Netherlands
• CERSAA, Italy
• APREL, France,
• PCS, Belgium,
• PSKW, Belgium,

More information:

www.fertinnowa.com