AVK sustainability report 2023 with links A4 - Flipbook - Page 23
More sustainable use of water resources
in the irrigation industry
It is necessary to optimise available water
resources, intensify agricultural production in
a sustainable way, improve water networks
to avoid leaks, and find more sustainable,
intelligent, and controlled solutions for irrigation.
Many countries, such as Spain and Italy, have
started allocating funds for the sustainable use
of water resources.
CASE
AC.MO offers irrigation management and
control
The Italian AVK company AC.MO offers
products and intelligent solutions to
optimise irrigation planning and the use
of water resources. AC.MO has developed
the intelligent irrigation system called
HYDROPASS, which can manage and control
irrigation distribution.
HYDROPASS is an irrigation monitoring and
control system that allows farmers to manage
and optimise their water consumption for
irrigating fields and crops. The system can be
connected to national geodata that provides
information on the status of the soil at the
time the irrigation is planned, but also on
local weather forecasts that contain valuable
information such as upcoming rain showers.
HYDROPASS also keeps track of water
consumption and in case of alarms, it can
interrupt an ongoing watering process.
Collaboration with the University of
Pauda, Italy
In 2022, AC.MO, in collaboration with the
University of Padua in Italy, conducted a
project with the aim of developing and
implementing a scientific basis to support the
environmental benefits that can be achieved
with HYDROPASS compared to traditional
irrigation methods. This study made it
possible to prepare a water statement
in accordance with ISO 14017:2022,
“Environmental management – Requirements
with guidance for verification and validation
of water statements.”
Among other things, the project involved
collecting data together with farmers to
create a life cycle assessment (LCA) model, a
model that can make it possible to compare
HYDROPASS with traditional irrigation
systems. The results were measured against
the irrigation water needed to produce one
kilo of corn in southern Sardinia.
The analysis was performed “from farm to
fork” considering the complete life cycle of
the analysed systems (HYDROPASS and hand
operated gate valves), including extraction,
processing and transport of raw materials,
production of components and the final
products, transport and installation, the use
phase, regarding inputs and outputs from
field cultivation, and disposal.
Data on the production of HYDROPASS and
gate valves was provided by AC.MO, while
data on corn cultivation was provided by the
farms selected for the project, referring to the
2022 irrigation season. One farm used the
HYDROPASS system, and two other farms
used hand operated gate valves. An extended
evaluation of all water inputs and outputs was
conducted, in addition to calculations of air,
soil and water emissions from cultivation.
The European Commission’s methodology for
the environmental footprint of food – Product
Environmental Footprint – has been used for
the calculations. The following water-related
parameters were assessed: acidification,
nitrogen and pesticide impact on freshwater
and biodiversity, and water consumption.
Irrigation is the artificial process of
applying controlled amounts of water to
plants at regular intervals.
It is used in the growing of agricultural
crops, landscape maintenance, frost
protection and revegetation of disturbed
soils in dry areas – i.e., during periods of
inadequate rainfall.
“Globally, 70% of all fresh water is used for
agriculture.”
Source: The World Bank
LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)
LCA is a process for evaluating the effects
that a product has on the environment
throughout its entire lifetime, thereby
increasing resource efficiency and
decreasing liabilities.
Source: EEA – European Environment
Agency
The conclusion of the project was that, in
addition to a significant reduction of water
consumption, there was a lower impact on
all parameters when using HYDROPASS
compared to traditional irrigation methods.
AVK Sustainability report 2022/2023 | 23