On November 19th 2024, the third participatory workshop of the BONEX project took place at the Living Lab Axarquía in Málaga, Spain. The event was organized by our coordinator BIOAZUL in collaboration with TROPS and gathered around 25 participants, including farmers, representatives of irrigation communities, territorial agents, and agricultural professionals. The workshop aimed to present the latest advances in the use of reclaimed water in subtropical crops and to promote a discussion on the opportunities and challenges of sustainable water management in the region.
The event was divided into two main parts:
Field Visit to the Living Lab Axarquía
The first part of the day was dedicated to a field visit to the demonstration plot managed by BIOAZUL and TROPS as part of the Axarquía Sostenible initiative. During the visit, Guillermo Moreno, project manager at TROPS, introduced the innovative fertigation system developed for subtropical crops such as pitaya and passion fruit, using reclaimed water as an alternative and sustainable resource. Participants had the opportunity to see firsthand the benefits of reclaimed water in improving agricultural sustainability.
Third BONEX Participatory Workshop
The second part of the event focused on the third participatory workshop of BONEX. The workshop began with a presentation by Rafael Casielles, project coordinator at BIOAZUL, who introduced the WEFE Nexus approach and discussed the risks of nutrient pollution associated with reclaimed water. He also presented the demo version of the nutrient management tool developed for the Spanish pilot site in the Axarquía Living Lab.
Following this, Álvaro García, also from BIOAZUL, shared the first results obtained using the tool, highlighting the cost savings and nutrient efficiency achieved through the use of reclaimed water compared to conventional water resources.
Participatory Session: Identifying Practical Solutions
The workshop concluded with a participatory session, during which attendees were divided into three working groups to carry out a practical exercise aimed at identifying actions and resources needed to implement nutrient management tools in the Axarquía region.
This exercise focused on overcoming the barriers to large-scale adoption of the tool and developing practical measures to leverage existing opportunities. The goal was to foster a culture of innovation in the region, promoting the use of digital tools, such as the nutrient management tool developed within BONEX, to advance towards more sustainable agricultural practices.
Towards a Strategic Plan for the Axarquía
This third workshop marked a significant milestone in the development of a Strategic Plan for the Axarquía, which aims to address the challenges posed by climate change and to ensure the sustainable management of water resources in the region.
The workshop successfully brought together key stakeholders from different sectors to share insights, discuss solutions, and strengthen collaboration towards a more sustainable future for the Axarquía.
We extend our thanks to all participants for their valuable contributions and engagement. Together, we continue to make progress towards achieving the BONEX project’s goals of promoting sustainable resource management in Mediterranean agriculture.
