The drought It is a common phenomenon in the Iberian Peninsula and this is mainly due to its geographical location. Meteorological droughts have been suffered for thousands of years and this pattern will not change unless there is a factor that is unbalancing this entire process.
Due to climate change, experts predict that dry periods will become increasingly intense and long-lasting. To this we must add the increase in the uses and consumption of water, which places us before a scenario of real water shortage or what is technically called hydrological drought.
Fighting drought in Andalusia
The Governing Council has learned of the granting, by the Department of University, Research and Innovation, of eight million euros in aid to 30 entities -between public universities, companies, R&D organizations, technology centers and clusters- to develop 23 industrial research and experimental development projects let them give response to the problem of drought affecting Andalusia. The incentives reach an average of 347,826 euros per initiative, which can be individual (eleven of them) or in collaboration between several agents (twelve).
Andalusian public universities and companies are responsible for the majority of the solutions chosen, bringing together 72% of the resources, with the remaining 28% coming from public research organizations, technology centers and innovation clusters. Specifically, 3.65 million euros in subsidies have been awarded to five academic institutions (the universities of Almeria, Córdoba, Granada, Málaga y Sevilla) that coordinate or are part of 16 projects both individually and in collaboration with other entities.
For its part, the business community, made up of 14 companies, has raised an amount of 2.11 million euros to promote 15 innovative projects, most of which will be developed individually. He Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) will be able to launch six projects, either individually or in cooperation, through four institutes with an allocation of 1.14 million euros: Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture and La Mayora and the Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville.
The technological centers Andalusian Water Research Center Foundation (CETAQUA), Metalworking and Transport Technology Center Foundation (CETEMET) and the CIDAF Foundation will have 484,216 euros to carry out four actions both individually and in cooperation with other entities, while the innovation clusters ONTECH (Granada Plaza Technological and Biotechnical Cluster Association) y AEI Smart City Clúster They have achieved 219,721 euros for four projects.
Apart from these agents, 350,000 euros have been granted to the Andalusian Institute for Agricultural, Fishing, Food and Organic Production Research and Trainingdependent on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, and 32,677 euros to the Agrarian Association of Young Farmers of Malaga (ASAJA) for the implementation of an action.
Considering the category of the 23 subsidized initiatives, 15 of them propose implementing experimental development projectswhich are those that propose works based on existing knowledge, obtained through research and/or practical experience, and that are aimed at the manufacture of new materials, products or devices, the creation of new processes, systems and services or the substantial improvement of those already existing. While the remaining eight actions propose alternatives for industrial researchwith direct application to the productive sectors.
Needs in various sectors
This call established in its bases that the participants could offer technological and innovative alternatives to any of the 25 needs previously identified by the Junta de Andalucía in six main areas of intervention: agriculture, fishing, water and rural development; industry, energy and mines; sustainability, environment and blue economy; emergencies and civil protection; territory and housing planning; and tourism, culture and sport.
The 25 identified needs are included in the ‘PLAnd DROUGHT Andalusia’a collaborative innovation platform activated by the University Department in the fight against water scarcity. This tool emerged to specify possible solutions and channel them towards the Junta de Andalucía and the Andalusian productive system. The initiative promotes the transfer of knowledge between the different agents of the Andalusian knowledge system and the business fabric and allows for greater efficiency, speed and effectiveness in the research, products and services currently being worked on from different areas.
The majority of the innovative solutions chosen (19) are classified in the section of agriculture, fishing, water and rural development, where various priorities were raised such as consumption reduction of water on irrigated farms, improve early warning systems collection of groundwater used for human supply or advance in technologies applied to irrigation managementthe desalination o to purification water.
In terms of sustainability, environment and blue economy, two projects have been quantified. In this case, the aim was to respond to several objectives such as improving the monitoring and prediction of the effects of the droughts in flora and fauna or the development of a model of aircraft with current design standards for fire. The implementation of an advanced system for surveillance and aerial observation for the prevention and spread of forest fires was another preferred line.
In the field of territorial and housing planning, a novel contribution has been made that will deepen the home management of water supply and, in the category of tourism, culture and sports, a project will be responsible for optimize water use in the sector.
The funds awarded will cover the personnel costs related to researcherstechnicians and other auxiliary personnel dedicated to these activities, the expenses of instruments and materials, as well as the disbursements that entail the acquisition of patents or consulting services, among other aspects. This assistance program has European funding through the FEDER Andalusia 2021-2027 operational program and own resources, designed in line with the guidelines of the Research, Development and Innovation Strategy of Andalusia (EIDIA) 2021-2027 and the Smart Specialization Strategy for the Sustainability of Andalusia, S4 Andalusia.