The 44th edition of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) was held in Athens from 7 to 12 July 2024. It is the most important international meeting in this area of knowledge, with the participation of more than 2500 experts from 65 countries in the field of geoscience and remote sensing from the scientific-academic environment, business and government agencies.
The IGARSS Scientific Programme aimed to highlight applications related to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, including scientific publications, presentations and papers, discussion forums and posters specialising in remote sensing and geoscience.
We are living in a golden age for Earth observation. Technological and research advances in the field of remote sensing, as well as innovations through artificial intelligence (AI), can be applied to benefit sustainability, climate action, or emergency response.
CEIGRAM researchers with expertise in remote sensing who participated in the event, such as Miguel Quemada, Ernesto Sanz and Íñigo Molina, representing a whole group of researchers working in this field, together with former CEIGRAM members such as José Luis Pancorbo (CNR Italy) and María Dolores Raya (INIA-CSIC), highlighted the importance that CEIGRAM attaches to remote sensing and geoscience.
Of the 412 sessions that took place, Miguel Quemada and José Luis Pancorbo were the organisers and moderators of three sessions focused on the application of remote sensing to agriculture. Specifically on the monitoring of conservation agriculture practices (cover crops, tillage systems) and on improving the use of natural resources. Ernesto Sanz had the opportunity to present two papers, which could have been of interest to the audience and which were very well received. The first research presented was entitled: ‘Land Suitability assessment for barley yield prediction using multicriteria analysis’, a work by Faten Ksantini, Miguel Quemada, Andrés Almeida, Ernesto Sanz and Ana María Tarquis. This presentation focused on the use of machine learning to improve agricultural management. On the other hand, the second paper was entitled ‘Modelling of water cycle at catchment scale aided by geographical information systems’, a work by Ernesto Sanz, Andrés Almeida, Ana M. Tarquis and Sergio Zubelzu. The paper presented the development of geographic information systems tools to facilitate the processing and harmonisation of different spatial data for use in hydrological models. In the same session, Professor Iñigo Molina presented a poster describing a study on thresholding processes for the discrimination of bare soil in herbaceous crops. In this study, a multilevel algorithm (MultiOtsu) and two Vegetation Indices were used, highlighting the ‘Chlorofil Red Edge Index’, which, for these cases, has been shown to be an alternative to the widely known NDVI. Other participations by CEIGRAM members included the application of remote sensing to cover crop management (Raimondi et al.), to improving water and nitrogen use in cropping systems (Wang et al.) and to phenotyping wheat varieties (Raya-Sereno et al.).
The sessions and posters that were shared, as well as those that could be attended in a scientific programme full of interesting proposals for the sector, have provided valuable knowledge to think about new lines of work and have allowed contacts to be established for future lines of joint research at an international level.
To the question ‘Is it possible to grow food without damaging ecosystems?’, Cristina Monge in her latest episode of the programme Claro Que Se Puede on Cadena SER, has sought answers from Carlos Gregorio Hernández Díaz-Ambrona, researcher at CEIGRAM and Professor at the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering of the UPM.
During his intervention, Carlos G. Hernández Díaz-Ambrona highlighted that the terminology for sustainable agriculture encompasses various terms and practices, such as ecological agriculture, organic agriculture, agroecology and regenerative agriculture. According to Hernández, all these forms of management share respect for life and the importance of soil health. He emphasised the need for sustainable agriculture managed in a respectful way, avoiding excessive use of chemical fertilisers and ionising radiation, and promoting traditional practices such as crop rotation and the introduction of nitrogen-fixing legumes.
Hernández also highlighted Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) as a guide towards sustainable agriculture. He mentioned specific examples such as limiting the use of nitrogen fertilisers and chemically synthesised pesticides, as well as crop rotation, especially between cereals and leguminous plants. He also highlighted the project carried out in collaboration with FAO in Central America, where they identified and systematised eight GAPs and Technologies for Integrated Disaster Risk Management in El Salvador and Guatemala, through participatory and community processes.
Other experts in the field of sustainable agriculture also participated in the programme:
– María José Sanz, scientific director of BC3, spoke about the importance of combining traditional knowledge with science to adapt agriculture to climate change. She underlined that mitigation is the major responsibility of developed countries, while adaptation allows for agricultural viability under new climatic conditions.
– Paca Baraza, Commissioner for the Water Cycle and Ecosystem Restoration at MITECO, highlighted the need to conserve soils to guarantee food security and face climate change. She mentioned that 40% of land areas are degraded and that in Spain there are great risks of desertification.
– Josep Sabarich, oenologist and production director of Bodegas Torres, shared the winery’s experience in mitigating and adapting to climate change since the early 2000s, observing changes in the phenological state of the plants and the time of harvest.
The programme also addressed the problems of the Mar Menor, affected by nitrate pollution, and the need for a sustainable agricultural transition for its recovery.
This episode of Cristina Monge’s programme underlines the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with modern science to promote sustainable and resilient agriculture in the face of climate change, affirming that it is possible to grow food without damaging ecosystems, the question that opened the programme.
The Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and the Environment (NICCEE) held its inaugural Nitrogen Summer Institute at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences’ (UMCES) Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) in Baltimore, Maryland, June 12-14, 2024. More than 50 experts from academia, government agencies, industry, farming and non-profit organizations gathered to explore advancements and collaborative efforts for nitrogen management in agriculture, food and energy systems, with a particular focus on the opportunities and challenges presented by ‘green ammonia.’
Green ammonia, produced using renewable energy, offers the potential to improve fertilizer accessibility and decarbonize marine transport. However, the adoption of green ammonia raises critical new concerns about increasing reactive nitrogen in the biosphere and exacerbating related environmental challenges. NICCEE is a global research initiative dedicated to advancing sustainable and climate-smart nitrogen management through socioeconomic and technological innovation, and it is jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), U.K. Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The Nitrogen Summer Institute was the first in-person gathering for the center.
The conference commenced with opening remarks from Michele Masucci, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development at the University System of Maryland, followed by a keynote address from Kevin M. Atticks, DCD, Maryland Secretary of Agriculture. Their insights set the tone for the comprehensive discussions on nitrogen innovation and green ammonia technology that followed, and they emphasized the importance of collaboration in finding methods to bolster sustainable agriculture.
“Nitrogen is essential for life in plants, animals, and humans, yet we are facing a nitrogen paradox of ‘too much, too little,’ where we have too much nitrogen loaded into the environment, while leaving too little nitrogen on the plate for those people who are in need,” said Xin Zhang, professor and NICCEE Director based at the UMCES Appalachian Laboratory. “Both technological and socioeconomic innovations are necessary to address this paradox.”
The Nitrogen Summer Institute was supported by NICCEE’s Canada-lead Claudia Wagner-Riddle, of the University of Guelph, and UK-lead Adie Collins, of Net Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research. Additional participants included experts from the African Plant Nutrition Institute, China Agricultural University, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, New York University, the University of Manitoba, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Saskatchewan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and more, as well as participants from the private sector such as Fuel Positive Corporation, Talus Renewables, Chordis, Fertilizer Canada and Rutherford Farms.
The event will be offered annually to promote and support the NICCEE community.
How do we balance the need to provide sufficient nitrogen to ensure crop productivity and livestock and human nutrition, while reducing losses of this precious nutrient that can lead to the release of compounds that have a high impact on our health and that of ecosystems?
Scientists from around the world, experts in the nitrogen cycle, have gathered from 17-21 June 2024 at the University of Aarhus (Denmark) for a conference entitled “Solving the Global Nitrogen Dilemma – Opportunities and Challenges”. The aim of the conference and workshops was to contribute to the reduction of N losses for an effective protection of the environment, without harming crop yields or jeopardising global food security. This Workshop is a continuation of the N Workshop 2022 held at the UPM School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering.
The conference offered a stimulating programme where participants were able to share recent research, as well as visit experimental fields and research centres, adding a practical dimension to the discussions. In parallel to the field visits, the 18th meeting of the UNECE Expert Panel on Reactive Nitrogen (TFRN-UNECE) took place, with the revision of the guidance document on reducing ammonia emissions to the atmosphere being one of the main activities.
International experts such as Josette A. Garnier from the National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS), Ute Skiba from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Xin Zhang from the University of Maryland Center of Environmental Science or Hans van Grinsven from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) have participated in the Conference.
CEIGRAM members, who stand out for their scientific production in the field, were present at the Workshop. Alberto Sanz Cobeña and Guillermo Guardia moderated and contributed to the session on how to improve nitrogen use efficiency, in which measures to increase the amount of nitrogen retained in crops were discussed. In the framework of this same session, Miguel Quemada presented a new efficiency indicator – Fertilizer Dependency (FDN), with great potential for monitoring the dependence of agriculture on external sources of nitrogen at different scales.Luis Lassaletta contributed by moderating the session dedicated to food systems, which covered perspectives on the food value chain from production to consumption, and also presented his paper in the session dedicated to reducing nitrogen losses, where he was able to disseminate the results of the AgrosceNa-Up project.
One of the posters presented by Guillermo Guardia was awarded by the conference jury. In this case, the topic was the determinants of N2O emissions and nitrogen cycling in cover crop mixtures of rye and vetch. Cover crops are currently a cornerstone of crop sustainability, and it has been investigated how the mixture of legumes and cereals, in this case vetch and rye (in a 33%-66% proportion) seems to be an optimal mixture and proportion to balance the agronomic and environmental aspects of cover crops.
Alberto Sanz-Cobeña and Luis Lassaletta, members of the Scientific Committee of the XXII N workshop, are recognised researchers in the study of the nitrogen cycle, having evaluated the agronomic systems in Spain at plot, regional and national level, identifying the main N inputs in each type of production system, and also the main factors that produce N losses (overfertilisation, inadequate waste management, type and optimal moment for nitrogen fertilisation, etc). The results of their work can be consulted at: https://agroscenalab.com/
Alberto Sanz Cobeña is co-coordinating the revision of the guidance document to reduce ammonia emissions to the atmosphere within the UNECE TFRN.
The conclusions of this XXII International Workshop bring us closer to possible solutions to improve efficiency in the nitrogen cycle, reduce nitrogen losses, encourage good agricultural practices, and advance towards sustainable horizons in production systems.
Patricia Giraldo and Antonio Vallejo, professors at ETSIAAB, highlight the importance of efficient fertilisation and the choice of resistant varieties to face the challenges of climate change in agriculture. Adverse weather events, especially drought, have caused alterations in the crop cycle that affect production. The question is: what tools do we have to adapt to these changes and become less polluting? The use of fertilisers is essential, as is opening up to new varieties.
The alternation of long periods of drought, high temperatures, as well as the irregularity and new seasonality of rainfall are some of the consequences of climate change that are affecting agriculture and causing new trends in crops. “The most worrying phenomenon is drought,” says Patricia Giraldo, professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid in the Department of Biotechnology-Plant Biology at the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB).
As a result, the flowering and ripening seasons are altered, there are more virulent episodes of water and heat stress in plants, unexpected pests…
In short, we are witnessing a scenario of uncertainty for the farmers that affects crop yields. And the question is: are there tools that allow them to adapt and anticipate the new situation and, at the same time, pollute less to mitigate its effects?
“The truth is that the increase in food production does not mean an increase in arable land, so if we grow crops in worse conditions we will necessarily have to optimise the process, bearing in mind that there is an ever-increasing need for food,” says Giraldo.
The only way to mitigate the consequences of climate change in agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint is to take a “multidisciplinary approach to the problem, applying efficient fertilisation, a selection of varieties that are more resistant to climate change, different management strategies, irrigation optimisation, initiatives for soil recovery with organic matter and microorganisms, sensors that tell us how and when to fertilise and irrigate…”, says Patricia Giraldo. “By combining all these variables, we will achieve greater crop profitability and also pollute less, which is known as climate-smart agriculture,” she points out.
In short, it is a question of opting for new, better adapted varieties, making the best use of fertiliser, as well as using the most appropriate management techniques.
The power of efficient fertilisation
“The first thing to achieve is the maximum output of fertilisers by the plant, to avoid, as far as possible, contaminating aquifers and preventing them from reaching the atmosphere in the form of polluting gases,” Patricia Giraldo points out. For this reason, the expert advocates the use of new generation solutions that are more intelligent and efficient.
An important part of the carbon footprint associated with the use of fertilisers, both organic and mineral, is due to N2O, which is produced by two microbiological processes in the soil: nitrification and denitrification. Taking this into account, “the reduction of emissions of this gas will favour the reduction of the carbon footprint associated with these crops”, says Antonio Vallejo, professor and lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Food Technology, also at the ETSIAAB.
In his opinion, the best way to mitigate emissions is to adapt management practices, especially nitrogen fertilisation and water, to the characteristics of the crops. The idea is to increase nitrogen use efficiency through the 4R strategies: right dose (right rate), right nitrogen source (right source), right location of the fertiliser (right place) and right moment of application (right time), in other words, to go for “precision fertilisation, adjusted to the needs of the crop”, he says.
In this sense, there are various tools available, such as nitrification inhibitors, or strategies such as the distribution of the dose during the crop cycle or fertigation injection that guarantees the immediate incorporation of the fertiliser.
With regard to nitrification inhibitors, the expert affirms that “they will be used in the future”, but points out that their use will be conditional on the residual effect they produce. He also predicts that biological inhibitors of natural origin that are not obtained through synthesis, such as those based on substances secreted by plant roots, which partially inhibit nitrification, will be promoted. However, he warns that this biological mechanism has only been described in certain crops. “Ideally, they should be applied in sufficient quantities to inhibit the growth of nitrifying populations for weeks… but to date there are no commercial products with this capacity,” he regrets.
As for controlled-release fertilisers – soluble fertilisers coated with an insoluble substance that prevents their release, and those with low solubility – the expert states that “they have demonstrated efficiency in the use of nitrogen and therefore also in the reduction of losses through leaching, which has been less in terms of reducing emissions into the atmosphere. The key to these fertilisers is the need to synchronise the release of nutrients well with plant demand,” he stresses. If this is achieved, they will have done their job.
Finally, Patricia Giraldo also discusses the use of biostimulants and their contribution to crop development: “With effects such as increasing the root system, these products allow the plant to make better use of natural resources, which translates into a better response to water stress and a reduction in fertiliser units,” she says. As a consequence, there is more biomass development and an increase in associated carbon fixation.
More resistant varieties
Another key to tackling climate change is to use varieties that are more resistant to unfavourable climatic conditions, especially drought. “Right now we are researching traditional varieties – which are not cultivated today – but which are more adaptable than the current ones because they preserve a lot of genetic variability that has been lost over time,” says Patricia Giraldo. And she adds: “Although the current varieties are more productive, nothing assures us that in a few years they will be able to respond to the phenomena of climate change”. “In the end, even if they do not produce as much in optimal circumstances, if they are capable of guaranteeing a more stable production in the face of unusual phenomena – for example, a heat wave in April or May when the cereals are filling with grain – they are preferable, at least we avoid losing the harvest,” she points out.
For this reason, the challenge now is to ensure that, as well as adapting to weather changes, “these recovered traditional varieties remain as productive and profitable as the current ones”.
“We are going to have to decide according to changing conditions because what happens if the farmer is growing varieties that need cold before flowering and suddenly the temperatures rise? He will either have to consider changing location, change varieties of the same crop (from winter to spring) or change crops,” he stresses.
Thus, it is clear that efficient fertilisers, such as inhibitors or controlled-release fertilisers based on low solubility or technologies adapted to plant demand, have an impact on reducing emissions. At the same time, by allowing a lower use of fertiliser units, they are decisive for a higher profitability of the crop. Similarly, the use of more resistant varieties is emerging as another of the challenges for the agriculture of the future.
Gabriel Arbonès, PhD student at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and researcher at CEIGRAM and at the Botín Foundation’s Water Observatory, is focused on the study of agricultural sustainability in Spain, especially with regard to water use.
From 25 June to 21 July, Arbonès will stay at the University of Twente in Enschede (The Netherlands). The University of Twente has a long tradition of calculating the Water Footprint, a concept created by the internationally renowned Professor Hoekstra. During this period, he will collaborate with researcher Oleksandr Mialyk and Professor Markus Berger from the Department of Water Engineering and Management to apply the AquaCrop model (developed by FAO) to the calculation of the Water Footprint in Spain. Mialyk has applied this model on a global scale in the following articles:
Mialyk, O., Schyns, J. F., Booij, M. J., & Hogeboom, R. J. (2022). Historical simulation of maize water footprints with a new global gridded crop ACEA model. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 26(4), 923-940. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-923-2022
Mialyk, O., Schyns, J. F., Booij, M. J., Su, H., Hogeboom, R. J., & Berger, M. (2024). Water footprints and crop water use of 175 individual crops for 1990-2019 simulated with a global crop model. Scientific Data, 11(1), 206. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03051-3
The assessment of the water footprint of the Spanish agricultural sector, using the AquaCrop model, is of crucial importance due to the persistent droughts faced by the country and the challenges related to water use in the national agricultural sector. The AquaCrop model allows the simulation of crop yield response according to climate, soil and irrigation management, which is very important in areas where water is a limiting factor in production. This research will provide a detailed understanding of water use in Spain at the provincial level for the most important crops. The knowledge derived from this international collaboration will facilitate the analysis of water consumption in the context of irrigation modernisation. In addition, strategies will be developed to improve the water sustainability of the Spanish agricultural sector.
The results of this collaboration will allow Gabriel a more comprehensive analysis of the sustainability of agriculture in Spain in terms of water use, according to crop type and management system, which will complete its assessment of the modernisation of irrigation in Spain over the last two decades.
The GoNEXUS Project, funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 Programme, aims at achieving water, energy and food security, and the conservation of ecosystems, to maximise our planet’s sustainable development and wellbeing. The project assesses the water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) nexus through 8 international case studies, 6 examine river basins in Europe and Africa, while the other 2 look into the global and continental (EU) drivers related to the nexus.
Nexus evidence for each case study, which comes from models and dialogues, was discussed during the meeting. The next 12 months of the project will focus on prioritizing and evaluating WEFE nexus solutions, taking into account not only their expected impacts but also the barriers to their implementation. In this way, GoNEXUS facilitates moving from the theory of the WEFE nexus to the implementation of governance mechanisms that help achieve resource sustainability and climate resilience.
The GuMNet (Guadarrama Monitoring Network) has been established as a laboratory for environmental monitoring in the Sierra de Guadarrama. This network of stations has been installed with the objective of supporting research and dissemination of data and scientific knowledge related to the Sierra de Guadarrama.
Through a wide network of atmospheric and subsoil monitoring stations located in different parts of the Sierra de Guadarrama, this scientific network aims to contribute to the research, education and management of a mountain environment that provides an enormous amount of ecosystem and cultural services to the populations of Madrid and Segovia, provinces adjacent to this National Park. The orography of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park is complex and the high density of installed stations allows the validation and improvement of high resolution meteorological models.
This Tuesday, Ana M. Tarquis participated in an educational field trip to El Escorial by a group of students from the Master’s Degree in Meteorology and Geophysics at the Complutense University of Madrid, who visited the EG010-Herrería Station, located in the Herrería Forest, which is also an area comprised in the Natura 2000 Network and a Site of Common Interest as well as a Special Protection Area for Birds, so ensuring proper monitoring and management of this site is essential for the conservation of natural assets.
In her presentation, Ana M. Tarquis highlighted the work of CEIGRAM regarding its participation in this scientific network, inviting students to learn about and collaborate in the tasks that CEIGRAM performs in the monitoring and analysis of agrometeorological and climatic data collected at the stations together with satellite data.
Climate change has a great impact on high mountain ecosystems such as the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. The decrease in precipitation, the irregularity in the frequency of rainfall or the increase in temperature are phenomena that are already affecting the flora and fauna of the Park, and that must be taken into consideration for its correct management.
In short, the GuMNet network is creating a hydrometeorological database in an environment as valuable as the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, which can be a very useful tool for researchers and visitors to the mountains, enabling better management of natural resources through a detailed evaluation of current environmental conditions and forecasting future ones.
R. Isla1, N. Mateo1, J.L. Gabriel2 – 1. Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA) – 2. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC)
Participants of the XIX Meeting of the RUENA Network
The Network for Efficient Nitrogen Use in Agriculture (RUENA) held its 19th Annual Meeting at the facilities of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (CIHEAM) on May 25 and 26, 2024 with the support of the Interprofessional Association for Agricultural Development (AIDA-ITEA) and the coordination of the Center for Agri-Food Research and Technology of Aragon (CITA). This meeting, focused on this occasion on the “Challenges and advances in improving the efficiency of nitrogen use from manure and organic sources”, was again a national meeting point between fertilizer manufacturers, researchers, public administrations, farmers and other interested groups, in which the latest advances in the sector of nitrogen as a plant nutrient were exchanged.
The conference was inaugurated by the director of the CIHEAM of Zaragoza, Raúl Compés, by the Coordinator of the Organizing Committee, Ramón Isla, and by the coordinator of the Network, José L. Gabriel. Dr. Alberto Sanz-Cobeña, researcher at CEIGRAM-UPM and coordinator of the REMEDIA Network, gave a keynote speech entitled “Ammonia emissions in fertilized agricultural soils: measurement and estimation methods and volatilization reduction strategies”. This presentation was followed by a block of thematic talks delving further into the importance of the circular economy as a potential tool to further increase the sustainability of the sector. Dr. Dolores Quílez (CITA) presented her work entitled “Ammonia emissions in organic fertilization, examples of techniques for their reduction”, followed by Dr. Ángela Bosch (University of Lleida) with her work entitled “Effects of organic application on soil quality” and Dr. Raúl Moral (University Miguel Hernández) with his work entitled “Effects of organic application on soil quality”. Raúl Moral (University Miguel Hernández) with his work “Recirculation of N from waste sources in agriculture and development of new biofertilizers”, and Dr. Pilar Bernal (CEBAS-CSIC) closed the block with her work “Agronomic use of nitrogen from compost and digested materials”.
Alberto Sanz-Cobeña (CEIGRAM) during his lecture at the XIX Meeting of the RUENA Network
In the afternoon, it was the turn of the final phase of the I RUENA Young Researchers Award. On this occasion, the 7 finalist papers were presented and the jury, composed of a representative of each of the 8 sponsoring companies, decided to award the prize (worth 1000 €) to Aitziber Calleja, a PhD student at the Public University of Navarra, supervised by Idoia Ariz, whose work was entitled “New nitrogen fertilization practices for the production of healthy leafy vegetables”. In any case, the voting was very close, demonstrating the high quality (and variety) of all the papers presented.
The 26th was dedicated to the usual field visit, on this occasion visiting the facilities of the Slurry Management Center and one of the farms participating in the Life ClimFarm project (both in Ejea de los Caballeros), where we were updated on the numerous activities and trials that are carried out there on the sustainable management of slurry produced in the region, covering both direct emissions on farm, the management of slurry in ponds to reduce volatilization losses and the direct application of slurry to crops through adapted fertigation systems. A good summary of this visit can be found in the report broadcasted by Aragón TV in its program Tempero, available in this link.
Noemí Mateo (CITA) during her presentation of the Life ClimFarm Project.
For more information on this and other past and future RUENA conferences, please visit the RUENA web page (http://www.ruena.org/). As a foretaste, the 20th Meeting is scheduled to take place in the spring of 2025 in Valladolid, organized by the researchers of ITACyL, to whom we are very grateful for accepting the challenge and welcoming us with open arms in their facilities.
April and May are key months for rainfed agriculture, which is heavily dependent on spring temperatures and rainfall. These months are particularly important because of the stage of development of winter cereals. The 2022 and 2023 cereal seasons were particularly poor due to drought and constant heat waves. However, this year we have had a wet autumn and an advancing spring with mild temperatures and some heavy rains, which forecast a good wheat and barley crop. However, these same heavy autumn and winter rains have resulted for the wheat and barley crops in Segovia in very shallow roots, without deepening, and therefore they will need constant rainfall during the following months.
This situation highlights the strong implications of climate change for rainfed agriculture, affecting the water availability for crops from spring precipitation, mainly due to the variability in the seasonality of rainfall that has been observed.
For these reasons, in Spanish there is a saying that goes “April and May, the keys to the whole year” makes sense, since, if these months were drier or colder than usual, they could greatly damage this season’s cereal crops, which so far seem to be developing in good conditions. Late frosts could especially hurt barley, as it is somewhat ahead of wheat, while drought may influence yields of both crops. On the other hand, excessive moisture has negatively affected some farms with a higher presence of rust and fungus.
Projects such as AGUAGRADA, located in the basin of the Arroyo la Balisa in Segovia, study present and future agricultural water demand under different climate change scenarios. This project is of crucial importance to understand and be able to apply the various adaptations needed to face the consequences of the climate crisis. Interannual variability of rainfall, late frosts, as well as early or long-lasting heat waves are challenges to which Spanish rainfed agriculture will have to adapt.
Historically, Castilla y León was considered the granary of Spain, and although total production today is not what it once was, in the province of Segovia the cultivation of winter cereals has grown by 8.6% with respect to the previous season, with wheat and barley remaining the main crops in the study area. This growing trend justifies and highlights the importance of the AGUAGRADA team’s research, which will generate proposals in collaboration with local actors for the adaptation of rainfed agriculture to the challenges arising from climate change.
AGUAGRADA has the support of the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the Call for grants for the implementation of projects that contribute to the implementation of the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (2021-2030).
The environmental crisis and climate change are among the greatest threats to agriculture today. This implies risks for food security and for the economy, as current conditions and future forecasts point to a necessary transformation of production methods and consumption patterns. Adaptation to climate change has a dual function: on the one hand, to reduce emissions and pollution from agriculture and livestock farming, since these activities are major contributors to the emission of greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution. On the other hand, adaptations will aim to increase the resilience of crops, so that they will be able to withstand the disruptions caused by climate change.
The program Cazador de Cerebros on RTVE 2, presented by Pere Estupinyà, has broadcasted a program on how climate change influences weather conditions and the tourism and agricultural sectors. Margarita Ruiz Ramos was interviewed in the Experimentation Fields of the ETSIAAB-UPM to find out how it affects crops.
Margarita Ruiz, interviewed by Pere Estupinyà in Cazador de Cerebros. RTVE.
Margarita Ruiz points out that, in addition to the progressive increase in temperatures, crops are exposed to the vulnerability caused by the unpredictability of weather patterns, with increasingly common but also more extreme phenomena, making crop planning more difficult, altering their development and generating large material and economic losses. Droughts, torrential rains, heat waves or hail and hailstone are affecting the natural crop calendar, and some farmers are already anticipating this by bringing forward the seasons for some annual crops.
For the researcher, farmers will have to adapt in different ways: using more resistant varieties, using water rationally, where it will produce the most benefit, and even with more flexible and tactical positions, as well as with knowledge and financial capacity to manage and react to specific events that may affect their crop.
VID-EXPERT aims to facilitate the interoperability and diagnosis of the carbon footprint in a smart way between farmers and wineries to contribute to climate change mitigation in the wine sector.
The VID-EXPERT project is framed within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directly and indirectly fulfilling goals 17, 15, 13, 12, 12, 9, 8 and 5.
VID-EXPERT is a system that aims to facilitate the interoperability, diagnosis and management of the carbon footprint for winegrowers and wineries, to contribute to climate change mitigation in the wine sector, continues to advance after more than a year of work and data collection to nurture this tool.
This tool, when operational, will not only determine the calculation of the carbon footprint in the vineyard and in the production of wine in the winery, but will also provide each user with personalized recommendations for decision-making related to climate change mitigation in the sector. In short, VID-EXPERT aims to be the software tool that will mark a turning point in the fight against climate change in wineries and vineyards.
For its development, the VID-EXPERT Operational Group has developed exhaustive surveys integrating the agricultural part (vineyards) with the production part (wineries), through which it intends to obtain sufficient information to be able to feed and test the tool.
At the same time, work has been done on the development of the data model from which this intelligent system will be developed. This model is based on the methodology for calculating the carbon footprint, taking into account the sources of greenhouse gas emissions in winemaking activities.
Once the data collection phase has been completed through surveys distributed throughout the Spanish wine-growing territory and its subsequent processing and analysis, the Vid-Expert software is designed, which will be a novel and valuable contribution to the wine sector on a global scale. This digital tool goes beyond the mere calculation of the carbon footprint, as it will perform an intelligent analysis of the data with artificial intelligence techniques, and will provide a personalized diagnosis of the emission sources and mitigation recommendations based on their relationship between cost and efficiency, taking into account their compatibility with the culture of the organization and with the type and image of the wine produced.
It is important to note that the wine industry is increasingly aware of the effects of climate change, and is striving to find ways to adapt or implement mitigation measures. For effective mitigation management, companies often require costly external services. As a result, this project will make it possible for vineyard and winery managers to make decisions more independently and cost-effectively.
Additionally, the VID-EXPERT project analyzes the characteristics and status of the current sustainability certification in the wine sector (SWfCP), within which the carbon footprint is evaluated, and aims to make technological proposals that can increase the value of certification and promote a more widespread use of this certificate. In this sense, the FEV, as promoter of the Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection (SWfCP) certificate, will develop improvement plans that wineries can implement to be more sustainable. Thus, the digital tool VID-EXPERT will allow wineries to calculate their global carbon footprint and its distribution among the different practices in the vineyard to be able to act where it is most necessary and effective to reduce the carbon footprint accurately, and from there manage its reduction in an efficient and personalized way, facilitating future certification or its renewal if they already have it.
Vid-Expert is a project funded by the EU through the 2022 call for grants for innovation projects of general interest by operational groups of the European Association for Innovation in Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (AEI-Agri), under the National Rural Development Program 2014- 2020 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
The operational group VID-EXPERT is formed by: Asociación Española De Normalización (UNE), Federación Española el Vino (FEV), Intergia Energía Sostenible (INTERGIA), Sistemas Avanzados de Tecnología, S.A. (SATEC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (CEIGRAM-UPM), Instituto De Investigación Y Tecnología Agroalimentarias (IRTA) and Universidad De Zaragoza (UNIZAR).
ACT4CAP27 Horizon EU project: Advancing Capacity and analytical Tools for supporting Common Agricultural Policies post 2027
Kick-off meeting participants in The Hague, Netherlands
In a joint effort to promote more sustainable agricultural policies, a new Horizon Europe-funded project called ACT4CAP27 has had its first kick-off meeting in The Hague, the Netherlands. The project will provide innovative tools to quantitatively assess the impact of climate, agricultural and forestry policies, in order to guide decision-making towards a more sustainable future from 2027 onwards.
The project will have a total duration of 5 years (from March 1, 2024 to February 28, 2029) and brings together the collaboration of 13 institutions and research centres from eight EU countries, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
María Blanco, CEIGRAM researcher and Professor at ETSIAAB in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Statistics and Business Management is leading the UPM-CEIGRAM team, which will have to play an important role in the following tasks:
Quantitative analysis of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the medium and long-term, particularly addressing the ongoing crises and disruptions in Europe and globally.
Clarification of value chains in food systems through the perspective of complex networks, with the aim of being able to provide greater detail on the stages between primary production and final consumption.
Capacity building, through increased transparency and consistency in the use of models to support future evidence-based policies, improved documentation of analytical approaches and promotion of activities to provide training in model-based research.
The project not only proposes modelling and analytical tools but will also develop an interactive roadmap aimed at guiding the European Union and national and regional policy makers towards more sustainable policies. This initiative aligns recognizes the central role of the Common Agricultural Policy in the sustainable transformation of European agri-food systems.
With a holistic approach addressing economic, social, environmental and climate sustainability of food systems, the ACT4CAP27 project seeks to assess the short- and long-term impacts of regulatory policies on European agricultural systems. The results of this evidence-based assessment will be crucial for designing post-2027 policies to foster a more sustainable and resilient agriculture in the face of future challenges.
This project represents a fundamental step towards a more sustainable agriculture in Europe. We invite you to follow its progress closely. CEIGRAM will keep you informed of the progress and new tools developed in this project.
On March 12, 2024, at the Escuela de Capacitación y Experiencias Agrarias de Segovia, the AGUAGRADA project has organized a participatory workshop to discuss and select strategies for the adaptation of the agricultural sector to climate change, especially those that may have an impact on the demand for agricultural water in the Balisa Creek basin.
AGUAGRADA team members and workshop assistants
The workshop was attended by various key actors in the agricultural and water sector in Segovia, including agricultural associations, companies, environmental organizations, government representatives, as well as experts and technicians. The workshop was aimed at finding out which climate change adaptation strategies in agriculture are being implemented in the area, which ones are planned for the future, and what incentives or obstacles facilitate or impede the implementation of these adaptation measures.
Workshop assistants participating in the group discussion
The workshop started with the presentation of the AGUAGRADA project together with some previous studies in the region, and the starting data for the modeling of the Balisa Creek basin. This was followed by the identification of the type of farms present in the studied basin and the presentation of the different climate scenarios, according to current projections. Finally, together with those attending the event, possible adaptation strategies to climate change were identified and evaluated.
Several local media have covered this workshop, such as Castilla León Televisión and El Día de Segovia, with an interview to Maite Jiménez, PhD in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Environment and AGUAGRADA researcher, who described the main axes of the project.
Maite Jimenez during her interview in Castilla León Televisión
The AGUAGRADA project is supported by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the Call for grants to carry out projects that contribute to implementing the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (2021-2030) and is being executed by researchers from the Center for Studies and Research for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
José María Sumpsi, CEIGRAM researcher and Professor at the UPM, participated in the broadcast of Carne Cruda in a program with the title “The field is fed up: beyond the noise”, which have addressed issues such as the claims of Spanish and European farmers, as well as the problems they face and the solutions from which they could benefit. The new CAP (2023-2027) was also discussed.
Carne Cruda program: “the field is fed up”, with José María Sumpsi.
Farmers and livestock farmers should consider environmental policies aimed towards sustainable agricultural systems, such as the European Green Deal and Farm to Table, as a long-term advocacy for their sustainability. On the other hand, regulatory frameworks that have also been criticized in these protests, such as the 2030 Agenda, should not be seen as a barrier to agricultural activity, and weakening the environmental measures that are being taken based on scientific evidence, is not the solution.
The demands of the farmers and ranchers who are protesting these weeks throughout Spain are heterogeneous, just as there is great diversity in the Spanish countryside. The main demands include a CAP better adapted to the needs of small and medium-sized farmers, as well as the implementation of a series of measures to combat the lack of replacement and the loss of young people. Regarding food imports, the European Union is asked to negotiate with the World Trade Organization to establish mirror clauses, i.e., that the requirements for imports from third countries be equal to local ones, although this will be difficult to implement.
The European Union devotes one third of its budget to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is the EU’s largest budget item. CAP aid is divided into a first pillar providing direct aid, which in this new CAP 2023-2027 is granted not only per hectare, but also per volume of production, crop and yield. However, the program has defended the idea that direct aid should have a strict maximum limit, and that it should be directed towards small and medium-sized farmers, instead of large farms which, according to data from the National Agricultural Accounting Network, are profitable by their own condition. It is the small and medium-sized farmers, who favor crop diversity to a greater extent, who should receive a greater amount of this direct aid, in order to compensate for the additional cost of producing in Europe with the environmental and labor requirements that have to be met here, and to mitigate competition with third countries which, although they produce at lower costs, are not subsidized in most cases. The second pillar of the CAP is indirect aid, related to rural development, youth and gender, agricultural modernization, improvements in the food chain or environmental impact measures, accounting for only 25% of the total budget, although it can create the social fabric that makes the countryside economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
It is true that the latest CAP reform has reinforced sustainability criteria, but unlike the Green Pact, it is not environmental criteria that have determined it, but market criteria. In any case, in response to the protests in Europe, the EU has begun to make the CAP more flexible and to delay the implementation of some of its enhanced cross-compliance measures (standards and good agricultural and environmental practices).
Spain’s Food Chain Law is groundbreaking and one of the most modern in Europe; however, there is a need to provide the Price Observatory with a larger budget and more staff to ensure compliance with the Food Chain Law by evaluating each product and looking for where in the chain disruptions are occurring.
In conclusion, the Carne Cruda program has highlighted the complexity and diversity of the challenges facing the Spanish and European agricultural sector. The importance of environmental and regulatory policies that promote long-term sustainability has been underlined, as well as the need for a CAP more adapted to the realities of small and medium-sized farmers, proposing a more equitable distribution of direct CAP aid and a greater allocation of indirect aid. The need for training and the recovery of agricultural extension to ensure greater support and awareness of those working in the primary sector has also been pointed out. Despite progress, it is clear that there are still challenges to overcome, and it is crucial that both the European Union and national governments are committed to addressing these issues effectively, ensuring the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the agricultural sector.
Gabriel Arbonès, pre-doctoral researcher at the Botín Foundation’s Water Observatory (CEIGRAM-UPM and UCM), has presented at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität the results of his study on agricultural land use changes in Spain: markets, climate and water resources, with a case study in southern Catalonia.
In order to support sustainable transitions, the study aims to understand land use changes in Spain, specifically with regard to irrigated crops, to promote sustainable transitions. It examines variables like climate variations, water scarcity, irrigation technology, international trade, and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) by analysing data from government public databases from 2004 to 2022.
The results reveal trends in agricultural intensification with highly productive fields being intensified through additional irrigation and less productive croplands being abandoned. Because of increased groundwater exploitation, irrigated woody crops—especially olives, vines, and almonds—have grown significantly in the water-scarce southern region. Climate change affects agriculture in Catalonia’s Baix Camp region, and possible adaptation and mitigation strategies are explored. Results are validated by climate analysis and a review of the literature, showing that local farmers are proactively adapting to the climate.
The study concludes by highlighting the role of scientists in addressing these issues and proposing strategies to enhance collaboration between researchers and farmers.
Plataforma Tierra has presented on Wednesday January 24 the report published by Cajamar entitled “Irrigation and food security. The situation in Spain”, whose coordinators have been the professors Alberto Garrido (CEIGRAM, UPM) and Jaime Lamo de Espinosa (UPM). The event was held at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food headquarters in Madrid.
The presentation was opened and moderated by Eduardo Baamonde, President of Cajamar, who emphasized the need to implement strategies that allow a more efficient use of water and continue contributing to feed a growing population in an adverse agro-climatic situation such as the one we are currently facing. He highlighted the close link between irrigation and world food security.
Jaime Lamo de Espinosa, professor emeritus of the UPM and former Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, explained some of the main conflicts that are taking place in the world over the control of water. The former minister said that in a world with a growing population and with an increasing number of people suffering from hunger or malnutrition, according to FAO, irrigation makes it possible to produce much more food on a smaller surface area, making it the type of management that can provide solutions to this problem, without the need for new changes in land use, which negatively affect biodiversity. In addition, he also highlighted that with the uncertainty associated with climate change (recurrent droughts, torrential rains, temperature peaks, etc), irrigation can help improve yields and alleviate these uncertainties, and that it is necessary to seek alternative sources of water (desalination plants, reclaimed water).
Alberto Garrido Colmenero, presented details of the publication, which included the participation of a dozen specialists in water economics, sustainability, water technology and agricultural policy. He highlighted the importance of increasing freshwater harvesting capacity for irrigation as a key element for agricultural efficiency and productivity. He placed special emphasis on the need to address nitrate pollution and explore the use of renewable energies for more efficient water management.
Alberto Garrido
Luis Planas, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), underlined the close relationship between MAPA and UPM, highlighting the importance of irrigation in Spain’s food security. Planas advocated for efficient irrigation and highlighted the crucial role it plays in the generation of employment and in the country’s trade balance.
The minister shared positive data on the Spanish agri-food balance, which has experienced a positive balance in recent years. He emphasized the need to modernize the agricultural sector, adopting new technologies and tools such as the digital notebook for better control of the use of water and phytosanitary products.
In conclusion, the strategic importance of irrigation in Spain’s food security was highlighted. The experts agreed on the urgent need to implement efficient measures to face the current challenges, emphasizing the adoption of modern technologies and sustainable strategies. The report presented reflects a detailed picture of the current situation, providing a solid basis for future decisions in the agricultural and water sectors.
Cover from Radio Periférica, A Vivir. A program of Cadena SER.
On Saturday, January 20, CEIGRAM asociate researcher Tomás García Azcárate, agricultural economist and Vicedirector of the Institute of Economics, Geography and Demography of CSIC, participated in the radio program A vivir que son dos días, on Cadena Ser, along with Marcos Garcés, farmer and regular collaborator in the program, and Manolo Presas, Galician fisherman.
In this program, entitled “working conditions in the primary sector”, topics such as the difficulty to attract the talent of new workers to the rural sector, a problem that Spain shares with its European neighbours, the urban-centrism and the separation of food production sites and the main consumer centers, and even cultural elements such as the social discredit suffered by the professions of the agri-food sector, have been discussed.
Tomás García Azcárate argues that, despite the high employability rate of agricultural and agri-food engineering (95%), there is a continuing deficiency of professionals. On the other hand, he stresses that there is no green agriculture in the red, indicating that it is essential to appropriately value and remunerate agricultural and livestock farms, so that they can offer attractive working conditions that can cope with both the lack of prestige and the hardness of the work itself. Having food at prices that are too cheap makes some people forget the costs and efforts required to produce it. Defending sustainable agriculture must go hand in hand with the defense of decent prices for farm products.
The Spanish Institute of Engineering has selected AGRISOST as an Outstanding Project in the field of Engineering, recognizing its will of social transformation and its innovative character.
AGRISOST is a sustainability and environmental protection project whose purpose is to explore agricultural production systems that integrate high production and environmental sustainability through appropriate management practices. The objectives of this project respond directly to the needs of the sector, in order to make the transition from our traditional agriculture to a climate-smart and digitized agriculture.
The Mediterranean region faces significant challenges for sustainable and sufficient food production, in a context of high risk of reduced crop yields and hydric availability, associated with climate change. Mitigation, adaptation and sustainable use of resources are priority actions that have been implemented in a coordinated manner in the AGRISOST Project. Actions such as balanced fertilization, proper manure management, application of crop rotations and cover crops, use of fertilizers with inhibitors of microbiological processes, all of them aimed at promoting the sustainability of agricultural systems, have been studied and implemented in long-term trials.
Since its inception in 2013 and throughout its two dilated stages over a decade (2013-2017 and 2017-2023), the Agrisost Project has had a large scientific production (63 SCI articles), as well as an important staffing, giving great importance to the transmission of knowledge, training of young researchers and collaborative work. The project has also included educational activities and participation in other Networks and Research Groups (RUENA, SIRENA, REMEDIA, CAPERMED).
From CEIGRAM we want to recognize the effort and achievements of this Project and we share the book that compiles the 52 projects highlighted by the Spanish Engineering Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in key areas for the future of our country. The link to the book can be found here: https://short.upm.es/w0ygt
Last November 29th, 2023 the presentation of the outcomes of the AgrosceNa-Up Project was held in the Assembly Hall of the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB-UPM), with the contribution of recognized national and international experts, revealing advances in the understanding of nitrogen (N) fluxes in agricultural systems and proposing management scenarios to reduce losses of this key element in agriculture.
The AgrosceNa-Up project, funded by the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (2019) ( PID2019-107972RB-I00), evaluation of agricultural management scenarios at different scales for sustainable Mediterranean cropping systems by reducing N losses, led by Luis Lassaletta and Alberto Sanz-Cobeña, aimed at the comprehensive diagnosis of Spanish agricultural systems and to develop improvement strategies that reduce nitrogen losses. Seven management scenarios with potential to reduce N losses at regional and national level were identified. These scenarios include the use of organic fertilizers, the incorporation of fertilizer into the soil, the use of inhibitors and other technologies, irrigation management (fertigation), crop and soil management, the selection of specially adapted crop varieties and the elimination of urea.
Research Team of the Project
The great diversity of Spanish agricultural systems, either in terms of potential environmental impacts, efficiency or productivity, makes it necessary that adaptation and sustainable management strategies must be adapted to each specific territory, therefore, different spatial and system scales have been used in order to respond to the heterogeneity present in agricultural systems. Antonio Vallejo (CEIGRAM) highlighted the importance of the wide scientific output derived from this project and other interconnected projects, as well as the transfer of knowledge, both through the recruitment of young researchers for the development of this research output, and through direct contact with various relevant actors in the sector (public administration, researchers and international networks focused on nitrogen, farmers and ranchers, etc.).
Antonio Vallejo giving his lecture, accompanied by Eduardo Aguilera
The current context of climate change foresees higher impacts on yields for the countries of the Mediterranean basin than for their northern European neighbours. To ensure sufficient food production in this scenario of vulnerability, it is necessary to adapt to the new conditions. Nitrogen is a key element for maintaining or increasing crop productivity, and requires sustainable management aimed at preventing overfertilization to avoid contamination of water bodies (nitrates) and air (ammonia) and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (nitrous oxide). Miguel Quemada (CEIGRAM), for his part, focused on remote sensing and the role of technology in fertilization adapted to the crop’s requirements to reduce production costs on the one hand and minimize environmental impact on the other.
Most of the fertilizers used in the Iberian Peninsula have a synthetic origin, and yet, in Spain we have an important livestock population that generates nitrogen that sometimes is not being properly managed and can end up polluting bodies of water or air. Benjamín Sánchez Gimeno (INIA-CSIC), focusing his presentation on Murcia (region in Southeastern Spain), again placed the spotlight on the reconnection between crops and livestock, as well as on the increase of agriculture based on local organic inputs and reduction of overfertilization, especially in some irrigated areas to reduce the use of fertilizers and nitrogen losses, without a significant impact on yields.
Benjamín Sánchez Gimeno giving his lecture, accompained by Luis Lassaletta
In the AgrosceNa-Up Project, the co-creation activities have been given great attention, in collaboration with relevant actors in the sector (fertilizer companies, farmers and ranchers groups, public institutions, environmental NGOs and academia) in order to analyze the main barriers and limitations in the implementation of the different management scenarios aimed at reducing N loss, and possible actions have been jointly designed to facilitate their implementation. On the November 29th event, we had the opportunity to listen to two colloquiums with the attendance of Javier Brañas (Fertiberia), Ignasi Salaet (Fertinagro Biotech), Javier Alejandre and David Erice (Unión de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos- UPA), Rosa Gallart (Interporc), Celsa Peiteado (WWF), Alejandro Benito (IMIDRA) and Carmen González Murua (UPV/EHU), representing the different parties that were present in the participatory process for the definition of a roadmap for sustainable nitrogen fertilization, in which aspects such as the need for guidance and training for farmers, the possibilities of designing incentive policies as opposed to punitive approaches, the need to reconnect livestock and agriculture to help the circular management of both or the importance of healthy soil were highlighted.
Javier Brañas, Alejandro Benito, Jorge Álvaro Fuentes, Carmen González Murua y Javier Alejandre in the I ColoquiumCelsa Peiteado, Ignasi Salaet, Bárbara Soriano, Rosa Gallart and David Erice in the II Coloquium
The proposals of the AgrosceNa-Up Project align with the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. While recognizing that there is still a long way to go, the effort that has led to the reduction of a certain amount of nitrogen surplus in recent years has also been emphasized, with an account of the good agricultural practices that have driven this reduction. Hans van Grinsven (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency – PBL) focused his presentation on European nitrogen regulations and the possible keys to an efficient transition towards a sustainable future.
Hans Van Grinsven giving his lecture
To close the conference, we were honoured with the presence of the Secretary General of Agriculture and Food, Fernando Miranda (currently Secretary General of Agricultural Resources and Food Safety), from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). In his speech he highlighted the role of the Ministry in the development and implementation of regulations limiting the use of fertilizers, as well as the ways to apply them. He also wanted to emphasize the usefulness of the Digital Booklet to plan reduction scenarios with knowledge of the reality of our agricultural systems, so that the decisions taken minimize the economic and social impacts on farmers, on the road to a more environmentally sustainable agriculture that maintains profitability and yields.
Isabel Bardají, José Manuel Palacios, Fernando Miranda, Luis Lassaletta in the closing table
AgrosceNa-Up is coming to an end as a project, but the people who have been part of it and the knowledge acquired will continue to search for efficient ways to manage nitrogen in pursuit of sustainability that will guarantee safe, sufficient and appropriate food, minimizing environmental impacts and ensuring that the conditions that allow current yields to be obtained continue to be maintained or improved. Spain is in a favourable position to meet its environmental commitments and ensure the long-term viability of its agricultural systems. The closure of the AgrosceNa-Up Project marks an important milestone on the road to a more sustainable and resilient agriculture in the Mediterranean region; the extensive scientific output of the project can be found at https://agroscenalab.com/en/scientific-activity/
On Monday, November 27, 2023, the II Online Conference organized by the RUENA Network was held to discuss the new developments and implications of the new regulations that are coming into force, with special emphasis on those that affect the use of fertilizers.
Participants included representatives from the MAPA and MITERD, as those responsible for the regulations, but also agents from the sector to present how these regulations can be tackled in a practical way from the field.
For those of you who could not attend the conference, the 6 videos of the presentations have been uploaded to RUENA’s website, and are available for consultation at the following link: https://short.upm.es/tf0ue
Margarita Ruiz Ramos is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Production at the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB), exsecretary of the Research Center for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM) and member of the research group on Agricultural Systems (AgSystems). From December 1, she will also be one of the experts advising the European Commission on the upcoming climate challenges.
The academic has been recruited for the Leading National Experts program, through which the member states of the European Union send for a limited period of time (2 years, extendable for another 2 years) officials specialized in a subject in which the European Commission requires advice and management. One of these matters has to do with climate. Margarita Ruiz Ramos has therefore joined the Directorate General for Research and Innovation and, specifically, the Climate and Planetary Boundaries Unit to provide her expertise in these matters. The main objective will be to implement the European Green Deal and to address issues that deepen Earth system science, adaptation and Earth system science, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and biodiversity.
The teacher received the vacancy in July, through the Center for the Development of Inclusive Technologies (CEDETI), and had to work “against the clock” to make a decision practically “overnight”. And the reason for accepting was clear to her: “I thought it would be difficult to find a position again with a profile so in tune with my line of research and the experience I have had as a scientific collaborator in the Spanish National Research Agency”. Margarita Ruiz Ramos has spent six years collaborating in the management of international programs at this Agency, and this is precisely the reason why she has lost the “allergy to management” that she confesses is typical of researchers. “I am a researcher very focused on investigation and, over the years and due to the contact with the Agency, I have become more and more attracted to management,” says Ruiz Ramos.
In the journey that is about to begin, her work will consist of helping to implement, monitor and propose improvements that will then be passed on to the European Commission. In this sense, there are five main lines of action: policy development, with program implementation; policy analysis, which will allow the results to be studied; policy monitoring, to support policy dissemination; policy coordination, to facilitate the transfer of knowledge; and the final management of these programs. final management of these programs.
Change of plans
The professor acknowledges feeling very excited “to provide scientific support” but, at the same time, admits that it has been an “important decision” that has meant “changing the mental scheme I had made for myself”. Just a few days before receiving the call for applications, she won the competition for her Chair Professorship and her idea was “very different,” she says. In her mind, she envisioned a calmer year, focused on research, as Principal Investigator in a recently approved project of the Fundación Biosiversidad. This decision has meant “undoing all the plans I had and embarking on something new,” but she says she is “really excited” about this new stage.
In this new challenge she has just embarked on, she does not forget the support and backing she has found along the way. “Everything has been supportive at all levels and bodies I have had to turn to,” she says, recalling that the support of all her teaching colleagues, CEIGRAM, the department, the School, the Rector’s Office and the research group of which she is a member have been decisive in making the decision. A path that she is sure she will also pave for others with her knowledge.
The AgroSceNA-UP project publishes the Policy Brief entitled “Defining a roadmap for sustainable nitrogen fertilization” with the objective of contributing to the transition towards more sustainable systems by providing information to policy makers and other stakeholders in the sector on what actions can be taken to overcome the barriers that are currently limiting the implementation of strategies to reduce nitrogen losses.
The Policy Brief is the result of a participatory workshop involving representatives of key industry stakeholders such as farmers, livestock producers, fertilizer companies, sectoral units of public administration, environmental organizations and research.
The main outcome of the Policy Brief is that the diversity of constraints and actions to be carried out to favor the implementation of N loss reduction scenarios implies that the design of the roadmap to advance the sustainability of nitrogen fertilization requires a holistic approach that facilitates the transition from a farm-centered approach to a territorially integrated one, considering for example the coupling of plant and animal productions. This transition must be carried out with a multi-stakeholder approach, considering all the actors in the value chain, and with the participation of academia, civil society and local, regional and national authorities.
The document with complete information can be found by clicking here.
Video: ‘Vertical agriculture, crops at different heights produced in cities’.
Vertical agriculture is proposed as a solution for producing food in urban areas, reducing the transportation costs and its ecological footprint. Food security for a growing world population, population density in cities and the scarcity of arable land are problems to which this type of agriculture aims to provide a solution.
These crops do not compete for land use because they do not occupy productive spaces; water use is reduced by 95% and, in addition, being in closed environments, the presence of pests is minimized and pesticides and herbicides are not needed for their control.
Rubén Moratiel, CEIGRAM researcher and professor at ETSIAAB, has been invited to promote the benefits of this type of crops in the news broadcast on TVE’s Telediario 2, on November 20.
On Wednesday, November 15, the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB) of the UPM was the scenario of an interactive workshop in the framework of the XXIII Science and Innovation Week of the Community of Madrid. This workshop highlighted the importance of reuse and circular management of water to promote a sustainable future.
The leading speakers of this experience were the distinguished CEIGRAM researchers Mario Ballesteros, Paloma Esteve, Irene Blanco and Sergio Zubelzu, from the RECLAMO Project (The contribution of water REuse to a resourCe-efficient and sustainabLe wAter manageMent for irrigatiOn). With enthusiasm and expertise, they guided the High School students of the Enriqueta Aymer School through the various aspects of Water Reuse, exploring its possibilities, limitations and opportunities.
During the participatory workshop, the young participants gained a deep understanding of the urban water cycle, debunking myths about the unsafety of reclaimed water and recognizing the imperative need to preserve both the conservation status of rivers and the water needs of population and industry. This meeting resulted in a valuable educational experience, enriching environmental awareness and fostering a more holistic approach to water management in our society.
With initiatives such as these, the RECLAMO project promotes the transfer of knowledge and reinforces its commitment to research to address contemporary water challenges. This workshop inspired young people to consider the essential role that water reuse plays on the path to a sustainable and resilient future.
Mario Ballesteros with a word cloud about water reuse
On October 4, 5 and 6, the International Congress on Agricultural Insurance was held, organized by ENESA within the framework of the official activities of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council. This Congress took place in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, and dealt with the effects of climate change on farms and the Insurance System itself.
CEIGRAM’s contribution to this Congress was presented by Isabel Bardají, Director of CEIGRAM. Her presentation focused on analysing the main impacts and adaptation to climate change in agriculture, based on studies and research carried out by CEIGRAM researchers in various fields.
Firstly, to address the impacts, the results obtained on cereal yields were presented, using various projections of agro-meteorological parameters under different climate change scenarios, as well as the recent evolution of the most relevant extreme events for agricultural insurance in significant locations for the main crops.
On the other hand, to address the potential of adaptation, the positive results obtained in different studies were presented, by modifying management practices such as sowing dates, conduction or irrigation systems, changes in varieties using those more resistant to droughts or with different cold requirements; these studies have been carried out in crops such as cereals, vines, olive groves or peaches. The conclusion drawn from these studies is that adaptation is possible, although it requires combinations of both management and plant varieties, and should be considered locally, assessing the different options for each case.
Figure 1: CEIGRAM researchers Ana María Tarquis, Isabel Bardají and Margarita Ruiz, with the Congress posterFigure 2: Isabel Bardají delivering her lecture
As part of the recent rebranding of the Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), we have produced a new brochure that summarises the activity, values, mission and vision of our centre.
Below, you can view and download the new CEIGRAM brochure:
This new brochure has been made possible, in large part, thanks to the work and support of the company MUAK Studio, whom we have contracted for this purpose.
Maria Blanco (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and CEIGRAM) and the EU case study team are collaborating with experts, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to define the key WEFE nexus challenges in the EU.
Climate change and increasing pressure on natural resources have been identified as some of the major challenges that will affect Europe in the coming decades, resulting in consequences such as migration pressure, food price shocks, water scarcity, irrigation inefficiency and imbalances in energy markets. These factors will become more impactful with time and represent the key elements of our EU GoNEXUS case study.
To address socioeconomic and environmental challenges from a nexus perspective, the EU case study team has identified the most important WEFE challenges. These nexus challenges will be further discussed and refined through dialogues with stakeholders. The all-encompassing challenge is that water scarcity and pollution will have major ramifications on other sectors, such as irrigation, energy prices, food security and biodiversity. The main challenges are listed below.
Challenge #1: Growing water scarcity and water stress index due to increasing water demand related to macroeconomic trends (demographic pressure, increasing food demand…) and climate change (a warmer and drier climate).
Specifics of the challenge: Food and energy security require large amounts of fresh water. Water is one of the essential resources in both sectors, acting as a crucial component for irrigation. The demand for natural resources is likely to increase over the coming decades due to growing global population numbers and economic development. At the same time, climate change may lead to lower overall water availability. Consequentially, water scarcity, variability and uncertainty are becoming more prominent, which could lead to vulnerabilities within the energy and food sectors.
Why this challenge matters? The EU is promoting initiatives to address water scarcity, such as investments to improve water use efficiency and the reuse of wastewater for irrigation. However, those solutions do not come without a cost. Energy requirements to transport reclaimed water from wastewater treatment plants to irrigated areas are high. While water reuse for irrigation may contribute to the reduction of water stress in coastal areas where irrigation is an important component of water demand, it may also contribute, in a more indirect way, to nutrient pollution migration. Addressing water scarcity requires paying attention to the impacts on energy demand, food security and ecosystems conservation.
Relevance: This challenge is linked to the Water Framework Directive, the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) and SDG #6.
Challenge #2: Green energy transition and the reduction of CO2 emissions
Specifics of the challenge:
Energy use accounts for 75% of EU GHG emissions, making energy system transformation an integral part of the EU’s climate ambition. The green energy transition involves a higher share of renewable energy, replacing thermal and nuclear power generation vulnerable to water availability and temperature increases. Therefore, the transformation of the power sector can help mitigate the effects of water scarcity in a warmer and drier climate. However, greening the energy system can have negative economic impacts. Furthermore, hydroclimatic scenarios also consistently show negative impacts on hydropower generation and biomass potential.
Why this challenge matters? It is crucial to assess the impacts of climate adaptation strategies and energy policy measures from a nexus perspective, to account for the impacts not only on climate neutrality but also on water use and the agrifood sector. Additionally, assessing the ability of renewable sources to improve energy use efficiency is an essential aspect of the challenge that our work will contribute to. Through investigating this challenge, our main goal is to examine if the envisaged solutions to promote the energy transition are resilient in the context of the WEFE nexus, specifically focusing on climate neutrality, hydropower generation and biomass potential.
Relevance: This challenge is linked to the European Green Deal, which sets an ambition for a climate neutral Europe in 2050, the Energy Efficiency Directive, Fit for Purpose, Renewable Energy Directive, and SDG #7.
Challenge #3: Reconciling water, energy and food security with ecosystems conservation (and other environmental effects)
Specifics of the challenge: The agrifood system, which now accounts for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, consumes large amounts of natural resources, contributes to soil and water pollution, and leads to biodiversity loss. Additionally, the energy sector is one of the major contributors to GHG emissions and the increase in water consumption reduces environmental flows and impacts freshwater ecosystems. Hence, we need to rethink our food systems, which now account for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, consume large amounts of natural resources, lead to biodiversity loss. Promotion of sustainable agriculture may help to protect the ecosystem.
Why this challenge matters? There are a number of areas that require further research. For example, we are investigating how the increase in energy use due to the growing energy demand for irrigation (and other related activities such as water transfers and pumping) will impact the ecosystems. Also, we are looking into how irrigation water demand can be reduced to protect natural ecosystems, how water scarcity affects the ecosystems and how we can achieve food security and sustainable agriculture production with ecosystem conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Relevance: This challenge is linked to SDG #13, 14 and 15, the Zero Pollution Action Plan (reducing pollution at source, e.g. pesticide use) and the European Green Deal (Farm to Fork Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy).
Challenge #4: Weak governance of the WEFE nexus
Specifics of the challenge: Overall, cross-sectoral coordination of governance systems is insufficient. As a result, policy measures and regulations aiming at improving one part of the nexus often lead to overtaxing or affecting another part. The search for policies and governance mechanisms that are robust under changing conditions as well as economically and ecologically sustainable is crucial to minimize cross-sectoral trade-offs and promote synergistic actions.
Why this challenge matters? Despite ambitious policymaking to improve resource efficiency and sustainable management of natural resources, the EU still faces complex sustainability issues at the nexus coherence between water, energy, food and ecosystems. It is important to identify the WEFE policy solutions that are effective as well as coordinated both from a sectoral perspective and a spatial perspective (from the EU to the subnational level)
Relevance: This challenge is linked to SDG #17.
To overcome these challenges, GoNEXUS is combining expert knowledge with modelling tools at the EU level. These modelling tools include an integrated water resource and crop model (LISFLOOD-EPIC), an agricultural-food model (CAPRI), an energy model (PRIMES) and an ecosystems model (GLOBIO). These models are currently being improved to address these challenges and will help to evaluate the impacts of the EU regulatory framework on the water, energy and food sectors as well as to assess the ability of EU policies to manage WEFE nexus challenges. Ultimately, we aim to make progress towards designing more sustainable and coherent policies and solutions for the efficient and sustainable management of the WEFE nexus in Europe.
From the Research Centre for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM), we are pleased to announce that we are currently in a process of renewing the graphic image of the center. All this has been possible, in large part, thanks to the work and support of the company MUAK Studio, whom we have hired for this purpose.
The changes we have made will be reflected in the logo of the research centre, as well as on the website, social networks and graphic material, both digital and physical, that supports the activity and evolution of CEIGRAM (rollup, brochure, among others).
Next, you can download the new official CEIGRAM logos for your use.
Between October 24 and 28 of this year, the International Nitrogen Workshop will be held in Madrid, organized by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid through ETSIAAB, CEIGRAM and its researchers Alberto Sanz Cobeña and Luis Lassaletta.
Agro-food systems are fuelled by nitrogen. About 80% of this valuable resource is lost to the environment before reaching our plates. We refer to this loss as nitrogen waste.
The ambitious goal of halving nitrogen waste by 2030 requires important coordination of many actors: multidisciplinary scientists, farmers, industry, policy-makers, NGOs, and consumers.
In the words of its organizers, the XXI International N Workshop will contribute to this challenge by welcoming contributions dealing with different spatial scales (from the plot to global) and system scopes (crop, livestock, agroforestry, forestry, urban and agro-food systems). We will discuss these communications allocated in five regular- and three special sessions, together with eight interesting keynotes during five exciting days in October 2022 in Madrid, Spain.
There are eight confirmed keynotes dealing with multidisciplinary issues and diverse scales:
Mark Sutton (CEH, UK): Halving N waste: general perspectives
Nandula Raghuram (INI-Director, India): Crop improvement for NUE
Laura Cárdenas (Rothamsted Research UK): N2O emission factors
Xin Zhang (Maryland University, USA): NUE in cropping systems
Aimable Uwizeye (FAO): NUE in livestock systems
Gilles Billen (CNRS, France): Agro-food system scenarios
Jill Baron (USGS, USA): Farmers’ involvement in reactive N abatement
Estela Romero (CREAF, Spain): N dynamics in river basins
Eight confirmed keynotes
Five regular sessions are structured following a system’s scale organization. Each session counts with a specific committee of experts:
