Redefine the concept of “Waste” to consider all that rejection from activities as raw materials or resources. This is one of the premises of the Circular Economy, which seeks to maintain the value of products, materials and resources in the economy for as long as possible, and to minimize the generation of waste.
This concept, on the rise during the last decade, is of interest to the agricultural sector, since, although this philosophy has been applied since ancient times, the need to reduce dependence on external inputs and raw materials in the current context makes it a powerful ally.
Under this premise, the LIFE AMDRYC4 project proposes solutions to the problem of agricultural residues such as pruning remains, manure, slurry and other organic residues, for application as fertilizers that improve the profile of soil organic matter, and with it, agricultural production in drylands of the Mediterranean basin. As part of the actions of the project under this approach, a composting plant has been designed and built in Xiquena (Lorca), intended for the maturation of various agricultural residues to generate compost, which is being applied in the project’s experimental farms.
This plant, since it was put into operation, has allowed the annual management of 13 tons of plant material from pruning olive trees, almond trees and cereal straw, as well as some 29 tons of waste of animal origin such as sheep and goat manure, and pig slurry. . In total, more than 150 tons of waste have been managed, which have been transformed into organic fertilizer of local origin with which more than 6 hectares of rainfed crops have been fertilized.
Thus, one of the objectives of the project is being achieved, which faces its final stretch, since it is providing a solution to a problem that directly affects the countryside, such as waste management, synergies are created for the environment, agriculture is adapted climate change and reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere while reducing the need to apply inorganic fertilizers, helping to generate local bioeconomy.