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- The agro-industrial system regional sustainable development, a coherent strategyPublication . Santos, Henrique; Ferreira, António Dinis; Páscoa, Fernando; Pereira, Carlos D.; Andrade, L.P.The agro-industrial system represents annually circa 3,6 x 109 € in the formation of the Centro Region of Portugal gross income and that accounts for 39% of the Portuguese overall return for this sector. Given this dynamics it is of utmost importance to perform a consistent strategy to promote the sustainable growth of this regional system income. Therefore, the CERNAS/IPC research unit has developed an integrated approach bringing together several regional actors under a networking logic that links the industrial needs with the academia R&D capabilities, and of capacity building and entrepreneurship (2011-2013). This strategy is rooted in the InovCluster, where CERNAS leads two anchor projects, the in_AGRI and the ECODEEP, and collaborates with a third one, the AGRITRAINING. The in_AGRI aims the upgrade of the system value chains by bridging the academia with the industry in a series of workshops, supported with a knowledge transfer platform and a network of research facilities, and ECODEEP will develop eco-efficiency tools, based on a LCA approach to enhance the overall sustainability by improving practises and find new solutions within an industrial ecology framework. The AGRITRAINING surveys the training needs of the system, looking forward to complement the actual capacity building achieved by the Master courses in Food Engineering and Environmental Management. In addition, an advanced training in Environmental Entrepreneurship is being implemented, and an Innovation Management for SME’s program is being designed, promoting a cultural change towards the sustainable welfare of our present and future generations.
- Sustainable water management in horticulture: Problems, premises, and promisesPublication . Ferreira, Carla; Soares, Pedro R.; Guilherme, Rosa; Vitali, Giuliano; Boulet, Anne; Harrison, Matthew Tom; Malamiri, Hamid; Duarte, A.C.; Kalantari, Zahra; Ferreira, António DinisWater is crucial for enduring horticultural productivity, but high water-use requirements and declining water supplies with the changing climate challenge economic viability, environmental sustainability, and social justice. While the scholarly literature pertaining to water management in horticulture abounds, knowledge of practices and technologies that optimize water use is scarce. Here, we review the scientific literature relating to water requirements for horticulture crops, impacts on water resources, and opportunities for improving water- and transpiration-use efficiency. We find that water requirements of horticultural crops vary widely, depending on crop type, development stage, and agroecological region, but investigations hitherto have primarily been superficial. Expansion of the horticulture sector has depleted and polluted water resources via overextraction and agrochemical contamination, but the extent and significance of such issues are not well quantified. We contend that innovative management practices and irrigation technologies can improve tactical water management and mitigate environmental impacts. Nature-based solutions in horticulture—mulching, organic amendments, hydrogels, and the like—alleviate irrigation needs, but information relating to their effectiveness across production systems and agroecological regions is limited. Novel and recycled water sources (e.g., treated wastewater, desalination) would seem promising avenues for reducing dependence on natural water resources, but such sources have detrimental environmental and human health trade-offs if not well managed. Irrigation practices including partial root-zone drying and regulated deficit irrigation evoke remarkable improvements in water use efficiency, but require significant experience for efficient implementation. More advanced applications, including IoT and AI (e.g., sensors, big data, data analytics, digital twins), have demonstrable potential in supporting smart irrigation (focused on scheduling) and precision irrigation (improving spatial distribution). While adoption of technologies and practices that improve sustainability is increasing, their application within the horticultural industry as a whole remains in its infancy. Further research, development, and extension is called for to enable successful adaptation to climate change, sustainably intensify food security, and align with other Sustainable Development Goals.
- CERNAS: Current Evolution and Research Novelty in Agricultural SustainabilityPublication . Guiné, Raque P.F.; Ferreira, António D.; Rodrigues, A.M.Climate changes pose overwhelming impacts on primary production and, consequently, on agricultural and animal farming. Additionally, at present, agriculture still depends strongly on fossil fuels both for energy and production factors ,such as synthetized inorganic fertilizers and harmful chemicals such as pesticides. The need to feed the growing world population poses many challenges. The need to reduce environmental impacts to a minimum, maintain healthy ecosystems, and improve soil microbiota are central to ensuring a promising future for coming generations. Livestock production under cover crop systems helps to alleviate compaction so that oxygen and water can sufficiently flow in the soil, add organic matter, and help hold soil in place, reducing crusting and protecting against erosion. The use of organic plant production practices allied to the control of substances used in agriculture also decisively contributes to alleviating the pressure on ecosystems. Some of the goals of this new decade are to use enhanced sustainable production methodologies to improve the input/output ratios of primary production, reduce environmental impacts, and rely on new innovative technologies. This reprint addresses original studies and reviews focused on the current evolution and research novelty in agricultural sustainability. New developments are discussed on issues related to quality of soil, natural fertilizers, or the sustainable use of land and water. Also, crop protection techniques are pivotal for sustainable food production under the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, allied to innovative weed control methodologies as a way to reduce the utilization of pesticides. The role of precision and smart agriculture is becoming more pertinent as communication technologies improve at a rapid rate. Waste management, reuse of agro-industrial residues, extension of shelf life, and use of new technologies are ways to reduce food waste, all contributing to higher sustainability in food supply chains, leading to a more rational use of natural resources. The unquestionable role of bees as pollinators and contributors to biodiversity is adjacent to characterizing beekeeping activities, which in turn contributes, together with the valorization of endemic varieties of plant foods, to the development of local communities. Finally, the short circuits and local food markets have a decisive role in the preservation and enhancement of rural economies.