Gulbenkian Água
The value of water in the agri-food industry
Economic development, urbanisation, pollution, deforestation and climate change have put enormous pressure on the availability of finite natural resources, particularly water, putting not only our health at risk, but also our capacity to produce essential goods and services, including food.
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To prevent future water scarcity, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation aims at promoting a more efficient use of water throughout the entire agri-food value chain, from farm to fork.
Water use in Portugal
In Portugal, the agri-food industry accounts for 75% of total water used, a sharp contrast with the European average (24%) and higher than the world average (69%), although in line with Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Greece. This is explained by the use of irrigation, where the watering of crops offsets the heat and the lack of rain typical of the year’s warmer seasons.
To gain a better understanding of the issue, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation commissioned a study from C-Lab on “Water Use in Portugal”, conducted between 2019 and 2020.
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Main findings of the study
Valuing water in the agri-food industry
The findings of the study now guide the Foundation’s actions for promoting water efficiency and a new water culture in the agri-food industry in Portugal, across the entire value chain.
Making a difference and thinking in the long term is a challenge that must be met by all stakeholders: farmers, the agricultural sector, the food industry, large-scale distributors and, ultimately, the end-consumer.
Demonstration projects of good practices in efficient irrigation management
1st phase – Projects supported in 2021 – 2023
AquaCer – Efficient Water Use in the Cereals Sector
This project held ten training and knowledge transfer initiatives for 500 farmers between March and July 2021. It also included a survey to determine the profile of the trainees in order to design more personalised future strategies for more efficient irrigation management. An educational video on good practices in efficient water use was also produced to reach 6,500 farmers.
Regions: Alentejo, Ribatejo and Mondego Valley
Crops: maize, grains and rice
Promoter: Associação Nacional dos Produtores de Milho e Sorgo (ANPROMIS)
Partners: Associação Nacional de Produtores de Proteaginosas, Oleaginosas e Cereais (ANPOC), Centro Operativo e Tecnológico do Arroz (COTARROZ), Centro Operativo e Tecnológico de Regadio (COTR), Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA)
H2OpitDemo Demonstration of management practices for the efficient use of water in industrial pome fruit and tomato orchards
This project focused on implementing demonstration pilots on farms equipped with optimised solutions for monitoring soil moisture. These pilots were designed for 25 farmers with three different profiles (mentors, followers and technophobes), in order to outline technical guidelines for implementing efficient irrigation technology based on the needs identified for each profile. The project also included training and demonstration activities (workshops and networking events), international exchanges, and the production of multimedia content.
Regions: Tagus Valley and Western Region
Crops: Industrial apples, pears and tomatoes
Promoter: Centro Operativo Tecnológico Hortofrutícola Nacional – Centro de Competências
Partners: Torriba, Campotec, Hidrosoph, Federação Nacional das Organizações de Produtores de Frutas e Hortícolas
VinAzReg
This project included six demonstrations of good field practices for more than 30 farmers on the integrated and sustainable resource management (water, energy and fertilisers) on standard plots with vineyards and olive groves in full production and different levels of innovation adoption. A promotional video and a free handbook of good irrigation practices for vineyards and olive groves were also produced. A regional irrigation warning system was developed at the same time, and knowledge exchange events were held for a wider group of (more than 80) farmers.
Region: Alentejo
Crops: Vineyards and olive groves
Promoter: Comissão Vitivinicola Regional Alentejana
Partners: Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Centro Operativo e de Tecnologia de Regadio (COTR), Centro de Estudos e Promoção do Azeite do Alentejo
G.O.T.A – Managing, Operationalising and Transferring. Efficient use of water in the vineyard: making the most of every drop
This project included demonstrations for 100 farmers on four pilot farms, complemented by the production of a handbook of good irrigation practices, audiovisual material, in collaboration with the mentor farmers responsible for organising the technical visits, and knowledge exchange and transfer activities for between 200 and 250 winegrowers.
Region: Douro
Crops: Grape-bearing vines
Promoter: Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Viticultura Duriense
Partners: Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro - Real Companhia Velha, Sociedade Vitivinícola Terras de Valdigem, Sogrape Vinhos, Symington Family Estates
H2Oliva
This project involved demonstrations for groups of between 15 and 25 farmers in a demonstration field, carried out at three different stages of the crop cycle, to encourage the discussion between producers of their views at different stages of knowledge maturity.
During the project, new technologies were installed in the fields of two “trainee” producers, at different stages of use and implementation of water management technologies, as a way of demonstrating the impact of these practices over the course of a campaign to other producers and providing insight, from a practical point of view, into the challenges and opportunities that come with implementing these technologies. Educational resources such as videos, leaflets and open online courses were also developed.
Promoter: Escola Superior Agrária de Santarém (Instituto Politécnico de Santarém)
Partners: Terrapro, Associação de Agricultores do Ribatejo, Azeitonices, Casa Relvas
Crops: Olive groves
Regions: Alentejo and Ribatejo
2nd phase – Project supported 2023 – 2024
H2OEfficient
This project serves to demonstrate good practices in efficient irrigation management and was created based on the experience and knowledge of the teams from two of the projects supported in the 1st phase – H2OptiDemo and H2Oliva.
The goal is to transfer knowledge and train farmers in integrated resource management, focusing in particular on water use, by following a learning-by-doing methodology. To this end, demonstration fields (mentors) will be used where irrigation management practices are implemented: insufficient irrigation in olive groves, underground irrigation in orchards and new water sources in perennial crops and at additional producers (trainees), with different levels of technological maturity, to demonstrate the ease and viability of the different practices and decision-making technologies. Building on the work carried out in the previous projects, there is a cross-cutting objective to enhance the work already done and the monitoring previously carried out, in order to improve the use of the equipment already installed by extracting more reporting data from it, but also to support faster decision-making by farmers and measure the impact of these decisions.
3rd phase – Expansion of the H2OEfficient Project 2025 – 2026
The second phase of H2OEfficient focuses on regions and agricultural crops where knowledge sharing is still limited. The work now targets avocado cultivation in the Setúbal Peninsula, Alentejo Litoral, and Algarve; citrus in the Algarve; almond orchards in Alentejo; and olive groves in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro.
The goal of this phase is to scale up the results achieved during the pilot phase, not only through demonstration activities of more efficient irrigation techniques and technologies in crops and regions where knowledge transfer gaps have been identified, but also through continued trials with innovative irrigation technologies to generate more robust data – particularly in terms of water savings and soil quality improvement.
Another key objective of this new phase is to continue promoting the use of treated wastewater, a solution that may represent a major opportunity for sustainable agriculture.
4th phase – Supported Projects 2025 – 2026
EntreLinhasVerdes
This project aims to demonstrate the benefits of using cover crops between the rows of the permanent crops that dominate the Oeste region. Trials will be carried out on farms of different scales, comparing areas with ground cover to areas managed through conventional soil tillage. These trials will include soil moisture and temperature sensors, weather stations, soil analyses and other tools to ensure continuous monitoring and real-time data sharing. The data generated will underpin field demonstrations, workshops and practical training sessions involving 120 farmers, technicians, and other interested participants, as well as 20 agricultural sector organisations.
Promoter: Associação SFCOLAB – Collaborative Laboratory for Digital Innovation in Agriculture
Partners: Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA); Fertiprado; Adega Cooperativa de São Mamede da Ventosa (ASMV); Frutoeste – Cooperative of Horticultural Producers of the Oeste
Crops: Vineyards and Orchards
Region: Oeste
Soil Academy
The Soil Academy project will train 12 pilot farmers, who will receive 60 hours of theoretical and practical instruction, along with field support. Demonstration plots will be installed on their farms, serving as living laboratories open to farmers, technicians and decision-makers. The project aims to involve 500 participants and promote large-scale replication of regenerative practices such as cover crops and mulching, no-till sowing, crop rotation and efficient irrigation. Scientific monitoring of soil health will feed into a pioneering database on the soil–water–management nexus and support decision-making tools, including a “traffic light” system for soil health. Broad dissemination will include the Soil Academy book, technical manuals, videos, infographics, leaflets, public events, webinars and field days.
Promoter: Fciências.ID – Association for Research and Development in Sciences
Partners: National Association of Maize and Sorghum Producers (ANPROMIS); Vivid Foods Farms, Agriculture and Livestock
Crop: Maize
Regions: Mondego, Golegã and Coruche
Soutos Sustentáveis em Vinhais
This project promotes sustainable water and soil management in the chestnut groves of the Vinhais region through an integrated methodology that combines scientific knowledge, innovative farming practices and peer-to-peer learning among farmers. The project focuses on establishing a local network of farmer-mentors who are equipped to test, apply and disseminate good practices that strengthen the productive and environmental resilience of chestnut cultivation. Activities include setting up and managing pilot plots with different soil and water management solutions in collaboration with selected farmer-mentors, where demonstration sessions will be held for around 80 farmers and agricultural technicians, supported by technical sheets and practical materials. The project also includes a technical visit to northern Spain, enabling exchanges with chestnut-growing organisations.
Promoter: CONFAGRI – National Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives and Agricultural Credit of Portugal
Partners: Proruris EM – Municipal Company for Rural Development of Vinhais; ARBOREA – Agro-Forestry and Environmental Association of Terra Fria Transmontana; Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB)
Crop: Chestnut
Region: Trás-os-Montes
ViD_AS
The ViD_AS project aims to demonstrate sustainable irrigation management and soil cover practices, while raising awareness and strengthening the skills of winegrowers and technicians in the Dão region regarding integrated water and soil management. A 0.7-hectare pilot unit will be installed at the Nelas Innovation Hub, featuring three emblematic grape varieties and three management approaches: (i) full irrigation with natural ground cover, (ii) deficit irrigation with natural ground cover, and (iii) deficit irrigation with sown cover crops.
The knowledge transfer strategy includes two levels of training:
Region: Dão
Crop: Vineyard
Promoter: Polytechnic Institute of Viseu
Partners: Centre for Regional Coordination and Development of the Centre (CCDR Centro); COTHN – National Horticultural Technology and Operations Centre
Publications
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