More than 12,000 rural men and women in the Andean region (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) have replaced traditional energy use with renewable energy, thanks to the Energy and Environment Partnership with the Andean Region (AEA), developed by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland (MAEF).
SAME Frutteto S ActiveDrive has obtained the title of “Machine of the Year 2017” in the category of specialized tractors, during the last edition of the International Fair of Machinery SIMA in Paris. The award was presented on February 27th by a jury made up of journalists from renowned European journals in the agromechanical sector. This recognition is added to the title of “Best of Specialized” obtained by SAME Frutteto S ActiveDrive in the scope of the Tractor of the Year 2016 award.
The Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), through its Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineers, and the company Idai Nature have organized a conference on the present and future of biopesticides in agriculture, framed in its Chair of Bioinsecticides. With this initiative, both institutions seek to encourage “biopesticides to be an effective and natural alternative to chemical methods”.
The agricultural sector of the Valencian Community has suffered direct losses of about 26 million euros, caused by the exponential increase that in recent years have been experiencing wildlife populations. According to calculations made during a meeting held by officials of the Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA), LA UNIÓ of Llauradors i Ramaders, the Federation of Agro-food Cooperatives of the Region of Valencia and the Hunting Federation of the Region of Valencia, the predatory action of wild species on crops and agricultural infrastructure has experienced an increase of at least 30% over the past year.
The Union of Small Farmers (UPA) in Madrid has been concerned about “the alarming lack of control of wildlife” after having access to a report from the Community of Madrid, according to which the number of annual attacks of wolf to cattle has passed from 15 to 251 in just three years, an increase of 1,573.33%. UPA Madrid, has lamented the defenselessness of the cattle rancher in this situation: “these data show that the wolf has returned with force to Madrid and the cattlemen are who are feeding him, when it is we who are in danger of extinction”.
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has chosen the winning European consortium in the Food4Future call to lead EIT Food. This consortium will develop pioneering initiatives of innovation and education to promote the construction of sustainable chains of food supply in which the consumer will have a leading role.
The Association of Producers-Exporters of Fruits and Vegetables of the Region of Murcia (PROEXPORT) advocates the implementation of the model of crime prevention among its associated companies and, among the actions undertaken for this purpose, has held an informative day, imparted by the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), to examine how to prevent criminal liability of legal persons and analyze the risks in the sector.
The Moguereña Cuna de Platero cooperative has started sustainable strawberry cultivation in Avila in order to offer a constant supply of berries throughout the year, as it will be able to have fresh strawberries from June to October, developing its concept “Your Global Berry Partner” . The company has five hectares of cultivation in Castilla y León in which it applies the same sustainability criteria as in Huelva.
ADAMA Agriculture Spain has launched the new FitoAid app to help farmers choose the best solution to deal with different pests and weeds in crops. A plant health management, in the palm of the hand, according to the current times and available for IOS and Android systems. It includes a mixing assistant and different cultivation guides to make the correct phytosanitary management easier.
The international seed house Tozer Seeds celebrates its first Open Day in Spain next Wednesday, March 22nd. Through its Spanish subsidiary, the British company, whose main business is moved especially for the occasion, has convened a hundred national and international professionals dedicated to the field of leafy vegetables to inaugurate its new test field, located in the Hamlet of El Estrecho (Murcia).
