Objectives

• Evaluation of innovative as well as, traditional technologies for agricultural wastes treatment regarding their suitability for crop cultivation (irrigation and fertilization).
• Development of Alternative Cultivation Practices* for the most widely cultivated and water consuming crops (e.g. vegetables, cereals) in Mediterranean by recycling nutrients and water from AW via identification and development of Best Management Practices for waste application to main market crops aiming at maximizing yields and minimizing offsite environmental impacts.
• Protection of soil quality from the disposal of processed and un-processed AW by developing and using cultivation practices which are suitable for representative, including degraded and vulnerable, Mediterranean soil types.
• Reduction of carbon footprint by recycling AW and minimizing the use of fertilizers. Conservation of natural resources (e.g. soil, water, phosphatic deposits) from excessive use and uncontrolled wastes disposal.
• Increasing competiveness of Mediterranean agricultural products and profits via the reduction of external inputs (irrigation water and fertilizers).

*Alternative Cultivation Practices-ACP: The scientific teams will develop specific cultivation practices with the use of treated wastes for each one of the crops that will be cultivated during the life of the project. So far, general guidelines have been developed (e.g. by FAO in “Guidelines on application of wastewater for irrigation”) for the use of treated wastes in agriculture however, different crops and different soils under different climatic conditions require specific nutrients dosage and water for irrigation and this is exactly what will be considered for the development of the ACP: what the crop needs under the specific growing conditions. In order to investigate this, the consortium will develop and deliver specific guidelines on the most feasible way to test the appropriateness of each waste prior to use in agriculture and the development of specific agricultural practices for different crops (what to consider, test, measure and evaluate).  Actions and means involved

To achieve project’s objectives, the following actions and means are foreseen:

• Development of an inventory of the technologies related with AW treatment and applicability for crop production, developed so far through EC funding and other sources at European, national and regional level as well as, worldwide, based on development level (lab, pilot scale, full scale).
• Evaluation of the treated wastes derived from the above mentioned technologies regarding their suitability  for irrigation and fertilization of the widely cultivated and water consuming crops in Med countries.
• Collection of treated and untreated AW produced in Spain and Italy and identification of their physicochemical characteristics. Preliminary evaluation of their suitability to support plant growth.
• Evaluation of application practices of the treated wastes (wastewater and composts) on crops after considering the crop input needs.
• Potential modification of wastes physicochemical properties in order to conform with input demands of field and protected crops through laboratory studies.
• Assessment of the impact of waste use and application on soil quality through experimentations using different soil types.
• Development of alternative cultivation practices for the main water consuming and market crops with the use of processed (and potentially unprocessed) wastes as source of water and nutrients.
• Two demonstration actions which include four pilot areas will be conducted in Spain and Italy, in order to implement the developed agricultural practices in greenhouses and in open field.
• Cultivation of the most widely cultivated and water consuming crops (vegetables, cereals, ornamentals) using treated wastewater and composts produced from different AW treatment options.
• Periodical sampling and chemical analysis of plant tissues and soil samples to assess potential long term phytotoxicity.
• Periodical monitoring of plant development indicators, soil quality parameters and input consumption to assess improvements in growth, yield, nutrients and water consumption as well as, soil degradation process.
• Identification of soil-nutrient loading capabilities, following application of wastes, for different soil types.
• Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for all processes implemented in Spain and Italy, in terms of raw materials consumption, energy use and emissions.
• Risk Analysis to assess the impacts of the proposed practices and processes in soil and waters.
• Techno-economical and environmental assessment for the practices and processes developed during the project.
• Development of a Code of Best Waste Management Practices for Agricultural Application.
• Extensive analysis of European and national legislative frameworks as well as comparison between national laws and EU directives.
• Establishment of a set of actions, measures and means that should be taken by Mediterranean national policy makers to conform to European legislation requirements.
• Legislative recommendations for AW reuse policy.
• Wide dissemination of project’s results and achievements through a well-designed and attractive web-site, publications, organization of workshops and visits at demonstration areas, etc.
• Meetings with national and European policy makers to present project’s achievements.
• Establishment of a network between scientific/research; industry/market and policy makers communities.
• Periodical communication between network’s members.
• Establishment of a well structured “After-LIFE communication plan” for the widest possible dissemination of the project’s results after its completion.