The progress of the desertification, also in Spain, makes farmers wonder how to farm in the desert. That is why many have their eyes on Israel. It is a densely populated country where more than half is desert. Thus, thanks to their inventiveness, the Israelis have managed to feed their population in a totally efficient way and yes, from the field. How can this benefit our country? Let's see.
Background
Israel born in 1948. It has always been a desert territory surrounded by enemies. That is why its scientists and entrepreneurs put agriculture in the spotlight. They needed to stock up at all costs without depending on other countries. This process of transformation of the desert had already been underway since early twentieth century. Around this time, the Zionist migration of Jews to their Promised Land began. The pioneers who came to the field with few resources clustered around the kibbutz. It is an inspirational commune Marxist.
They started by draining the extensive swamps and clearing rocky terrain. They reforested mountains to prevent erosion and washed the floor to desalinate it. After independence, the population grew very rapidly due to massive immigration. State plans were established and millionaire sums were invested in improving yields. The water infrastructure was also built. Currently, almost all innovative companies in this sector are small start ups. Thus, private initiative plays a crucial role.
How to cultivate in the desert in Spain?
Water is a scarce commodity and it will be more and more so. In fact, Spain is a country threatened by desertification derived from climate change. Later we will talk about its probable consequences. The fact is that in Israel They are clear about it because they have never had it in abundance. It is from that need that numerous initiatives appear to alleviate the problem. One of them is Takadu.
It offers a that detects and solves problems in the water system. Alert on leaks and anomalies. Amir peleg, its founder, has been collaborating with Spanish projects for four years. Its objective is to solve the problems derived from the water loss. This is estimated at 25% in the world.
Two Spanish companies already use this technology based on logarithms, Big Data and analytics. Is about Udal Sareak en Bilbao y FCC acualia en Almería. Her impact has been positive and for this, the director of Udal Sareak praises her. He states that they can now focus on what is important and not just on urgent and one-off breakdowns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQPxkeQwn4g
Suez United Kingdom is a leading Spanish company in the management of water resources. The firm collaborates with Used. We talk about a little startups Israeli locating Water leaks through satellites. Using this technology, they can make maps of the areas most affected by breakdowns to keep them under control.
Manna Irrigation Intelligence it is another that has landed in Spain. Its operation is also based on the use of satellites to make irrigation decisions. Offers a monitoring of crops capable of offering information on types and conditions of the terrain. Penetrates the entire surface of the studied terrain up to 30 centimeters. According to the company, the efficiency of irrigation systems can be raised up to 100%. It can also mean savings from 30% and the 15% in terms of consumption of water and costs of productionrespectively.
Use satellite imagery to determine the amount of Evaporated water and the index of runoff. This level of precision is the result of four years of development. Any farmer can download the app to use it for a fairly reduced price. This moves between 15 and 20 euros per hectare per year. Includes support and consulting service via telephone and online.
We have all heard of drip irrigation. It is also part of the Israeli advances. It had been used for millennia by ancient civilizations. However, it was not until 1965 its modern form was invented by the engineer Simcha blas. At that time, Israel did not even have 20 years of existence. However, they already came to understand how to farm in the desert. It is not necessary to describe this irrigation system because it is widely recognized and used in our country.
La desertification it is a great risk in our country. A report from Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge warns of this dangerous impact of climate change. 80% of the country can become desert by 2100! The lack of rain, rising temperatures and higher water pressure are not a good cocktail. This phenomenon is expected to result in loss of habitats and species, as well as soil degradation. To ensure our survival we must discover how to farm in the desert.
