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WATER RETENTION AND NUTRIENT RECYCLING IN SOILS AND STREAMS FOR IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Improving water management and nutrient recycling

WATERAGRI is a H2020 Research & Innovation project that aims to re-introduce and enhance sustainable solutions for water retention and nutrient recycling to enable agricultural production that can sustain growing populations and cope with present and future climate change challenges. The project strives to generate a deeper, more detailed and integrated understanding of the hydrological processes shaping water resources in Europe. To achieve these ambitious aims, WATERAGRI further develops traditional drainage and irrigation solutions and re-introduces nature-based solutions such as integrated constructed wetlands, bio-inspired drainage systems and sustainable flood retention basins in the agricultural landscape, leading to better retention of both water and nutrients. WATERAGRI evaluates specific water and nutrient retention needs with the farming community, develops a set of affordable and easy-to-implement technologies, tests them in the field and deploys a sound business framework for their effective use by the farming community.

Objective

The WATERAGRI vision is to solve agricultural water management and soil fertilisation challenges in a sustainable manner to secure affordable food production in Europe for the 21st century. The WATERAGRI concept aims to introduce a new framework for the use of affordable small water retention approaches for managing excess and shortage of water as well as better recovery of nutrients from agricultural catchments applying a multi-actor approach. The objectives are to
(a) Co-develop (multi-actor approach) the links between agricultural land and soil-sediment-water management for improved management of water excess and shortage, maximizing crop production and improving water quality and nutrient uptake by crops;
(b) Undertake both technical and sustainability assessments of proposed measures considering tested and reviewed management options;
(c) Develop a cloud-based simulation and data assimilation system based on a physically-based terrestrial system model, which is able to assimilate in situ and remotely sensed observations of hydrological and plant variables and meteorological data in near-real time to analyse effects of structures such as drains and dams for improved farm-scale water management and retention;
(d) Identify, develop and test affordable and easy-to-implement long-term technical and operational farm solutions such as controlled drainage, regulated deficit irrigation, subsurface irrigation, groundwater recharge, farm constructed wetlands, soil management and nutrient recovery options;
(e) Assess the techniques for their potential regarding adaptation to climate change and their impact on ecosystem services for different biogeographic regions using case studies; and
(f) Disseminate the implemented innovations to farmers, advisory services and decision-makers as part of a multi-actor approach.
The key performance indicators are increased crop production, enhanced nutrient recovery from streams and a simulation and data assimilation system.

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Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

H2020-SFS-2018-2020

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Sub call

H2020-SFS-2019-2

Funding Scheme

RIA - Research and Innovation action

Coordinator

LUNDS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution
€ 1 453 175,00
Address
Paradisgatan 5c
22100 Lund
Sweden

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Region
Södra Sverige Sydsverige Skåne län
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost
€ 1 453 175,00

Participants (22)

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Last update: 15 January 2024

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/858375

European Union, 2024