Options
Eco-innovation and water resource efficiency: towards a knowledge driven agriculture
Takavakoglou, Vasileios | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki | GR |
Pana, Eleanna | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki | GR |
LT | ||
Kampas, George | Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace | MK |
LT |
Date Issued |
---|
2016 |
The selection of the appropriate strategy is rather challenging and must consider prioritization between these various benefits and objectives and be tailored to local conditions. Towards this direction the European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture (Focus Group on water and agriculture) revealed that efficient knowledge transfer can be achieved through the establishment of active cooperation networks among practitioners, consultants and scientists, appropriate decision support mechanisms for practitioners in an easy and understandable way, and the effective use of Information and Communication Technology.
Efficient water management and irrigation practices at farm level can help improve agricultural profitability and competitiveness in an era of increasingly limited and threatened water supplies due to unsustainable exploitation and climate change. However, despite the continued generation of knowledge throughout Europe, research results are often insufficiently exploited and taken up in agricultural practice, while on the other hand innovative ideas and effective methods of water management at farm level from practice are not captured and spread. Aim of this work is to highlight the importance and need of transferring scientific innovations and local expertise to operational level across borders, and identify a roadmap towards a knowledge driven agriculture in EU. As a result of research efforts and local knowledge and experience, there is a plethora of technologies and management options through which EU agriculture could improve water management, ranging from options targeting increased water use efficiency to options targeting increased water supply. ‘Technologies’ include practical applications and tools that are ready-to-use or have a successful demonstration status, including technologies that make water use more efficient, reduce water losses, monitor water use and those that target water supply. ‘Management options’ are considered as types of water, land and crop management that contribute to the effective use of water resources in farming systems, and could potentially replace prevailing management. Each one of these options has certain co-benefits for other environmental priorities or the farm’s economic objectives and certain trade-offs.