DROUGHT: ACEPER, 'WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES WATER SAVINGS IN AGRICULTURE OF EVEN 50%'

Already at the beginning of 2024 some areas of our peninsula, in particular Sardinia and Sicily, are in emergency due to drought and the irrigation crisis in view of the coming months. ACEPER (Association of Consumers and Producers of Renewable Energy) , the association that brings together 10,000 energy production plants from renewable sources, equal to over 7,000 members for a total installed power that exceeds 2 GWp, has always been committed to continuous research of solutions to encourage business growth. Is there a way to resolve this critical situation? How to minimize water waste and optimize the use of water resources? According to ACEPER, the answer could be BrioAgro , a Spanish startup that has developed an advanced intelligent irrigation technology that allows significant savings (even 50%) in both water and energy terms. The BrioAgro system is based on the use of field sensors that measure the water content in the soil in real time and is supported by a geolocalized meteorological station that collects 15 climate parameters with forecasts for up to 7 days. For open field crops, vegetation indices are provided, calculated from satellite images over the entire surface of the farm. A custom calibration algorithm characterizes the soil and crop type in each field, allowing for precise data interpretation. A message is automatically sent to the farmer whenever watering is needed. Through the platform the farmer can easily access specific crop conditions without further analysis. The system is flexible, suitable for all types of crops and can manage various irrigation systems, including sprinkler, drip and pivot irrigation. Its installation is quick and simple. Thanks to a precise supply of water, the absorption of nutrients by plants is thus optimized, reducing losses due to percolation and contamination of aquifers. Saving water by 30% on a farm translates into corresponding energy savings, as the irrigation motor is used more efficiently. The system also allows a strong reduction in the use of fertilizers and plant protection products, contributing to more efficient management of the field and improving overall agricultural production. According to recent research conducted by ACEPER in collaboration with the University of Tuscia in Viterbo on a sample of 700 Italian farms, it is clear that 70% of Italian farmers still rely on their own experience to irrigate their fields. With this technique, called "Finger Test", between 30 and 80% of water resources are wasted every year. The consequences of these obsolete techniques are proving to be even more serious in a historical period in which cultivated fields are tormented by the problem of drought: research tells us that in Italy we are wasting 8 to 10 billion cubic meters of water every year . In fact, the land is often irrigated even when there is no need. It is unthinkable that Italian agriculture will still be at this point in 2023, also given the drought problems experienced in 2022 and also in 2023. ACEPER has therefore chosen to act as an intermediary with the Spanish startup, conducting a detailed analysis with some associates located in areas characterized by serious water problems and selecting some companies on which to test the intelligent irrigation system. In fact, tests will soon start using the BrioAgro irrigation system at the associated companies Masseria del Pantaleone in Matera in Basilicata, the Azienda Agricola Vigliotti Antonio with the Vivai Vigliotti in Montesarchio (province of Benevento) in Campania and the Giuliani Società Agricola ARL of Trasacco (province of L'Aquila) in Abruzzo. «The water crisis represents a widespread problem. Without going into the merits of the reasons why it was not addressed before, we immediately took action. We contacted our associates, who, as always, were far-sighted as demonstrated previously with the installation of the photovoltaic systems that became available to start with the test. Let's start this new adventure together with them, hoping to replicate the same success achieved with photovoltaic projects", says Veronica Pitea, President of ACEPER