Towards a sustainable and productive EU organic greenhouse horticulture. Παρουσίαση από το ΛΓΕ Αναστάση Χρίστου

1. COST Action FA 1105
“Towards a sustainable and productive EU organic greenhouse Horticulture”
–
Organic greenhouse horticulture: state of the art and future trends
WG2 Meeting
Soil Fertility, Suppressiveness and Water Management
Wastewater reuse and other water management practises implemented in protected organic
horticulture, in Cyprus.
Anastasis Christou
Agricultural Research Institute, Cyprus
Bucharest, 15th -17th October, 2012

2. •Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean sea, located to the east
Mediterranean sea
•It has a total land area of 9,250 sq km
•Population: ~ 840 000
•Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate with the typical seasonal rhythm strongly
marked in respect of temperature, rainfall and weather generally. It could be characterized
as semi arid climate
•Statistical analysis of rainfall in Cyprus reveals a decreasing trend of rainfall amounts in the
last 30 year (~ 17% lower precipitation).

3. Global warming: New study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
suggests winter droughts may become the ‘new normal’ in the Mediterranean region
Reds and oranges highlight lands around the Mediterranean that experienced significantly drier winters during 1971-2010
than the comparison period of 1902-2010. GRAPH VIA NOAA

4. Water recourses management schemes and major water projects in Cyprus
• Construction of 108 dams with a total capacity of 332 million cubic meters (MCM) and a
rich pipeline network providing pressurized water for domestic and agricultural sectors
(Kouris is the largest dam -115 MCM)
• The Southern Conveyor Project is the largest water development project undertaken by the
Government of Cyprus. The basic objective of the project is to collect and store surplus
water flowing to the sea and convey it to areas of demand for both domestic water supply
and irrigation.
•Treated urban wastewater reuse for irrigation,
amenities and ground water recharge (18.5 MCM)
•Desalination plants are constantly providing
potable water
Kouris Dam

5. INFLOW OF WATER IN DAMS
FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS
200
Inflow of water (MCM)
150
100
50
0
Year
Bucharest 15-17/10/12

6. 5.1 YEARLY QUANTITIES OF TREATED EFFLUENT PER PLANT
QUANTITIES (m3)
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
LIMASSOL 6.246.854 6.417.670 6.548.390 6.435.900 5.490.179 5.820.010 6.635.360 6.667.050
PAPHOS 1.837.730 2.177.883 2.952.463 2.553.812 2.380.061 2.325.182 2.460.547 2.293.563
AYIA NAPA 790.926 849.204 680.129 852.220 966.609 972.389 1.056.312 1.011.401
PARALIMNI 1.076.131 1.426.513 1.730.827 1.419.793 1.320.053 1.131.951 1.316.818 1.444.503
LARNAKA 2.287.663 1.876.764 2.139.196 1.935.294 1.840.117 1.774.498 2.021.626 2.198.119
ANTHOUPOLIS 297.600 297.600 292.000 292.000 295.376 573.357 828.362 976.715
VATHIA GONIA ( WDD) 457.930 365.502 419.553 335.237 310.874 314.958 293.905 230.640
VATHIA GONIA ( SBN) 647.034 1.699.626
TOTAL PRODUCTION (m3) (A) 12.994.834 13.411.136 14.762.558 13.824.256 12.603.269 12.912.345 15.259.964 16.521.617
REFUGEE HOUSINGS
275.575 275.575 275.575 275.575 323.025 323.025 323.025 277.400
(3 -- 2007, 4 -- 2009,2010, 3 -- 2011)
HOSPITALS
368.650 368.650 368.650 368.650 540.200 540.200 540.200 474.500
(4 -- 2007, 5 -- 2009, 2010, 4 -- 2011, )
SMALL COMMUNITIES < 2.000 P.E.
167.900 167.900 167.900 167.900 204.400 204.400 204.400 237.250
(3 -- 2007, 4 -- 2009, 2010, 5 -- 2011)
MILITARY CAMPS
150.745 150.745 150.745 150.745 249.660 249.660 249.660 249.660
(8 -- 2007, 9 -- 2009, 2010, 2011, )
RURAL COMMUNITIES > 2.000 P.E
456.250 456.250 456.250 456.250 587.650 587.650 770.150 770.150
(4 -- 2007, 5 -- 2009, 6 -- 2010, 2011)
SUBTOTAL (B) 1.419.120 1.419.120 1.419.120 1.419.120 1.904.935 1.904.935 2.087.435 2.008.960
GRAND TOTAL (A) +(B) 14.413.954 14.830.256 16.181.678 15.243.376 14.508.204 14.817.280 17.347.399 18.530.577

7. Irrigation Water Management
•Ensure efficient use of available water
•Use of non-conventional sources such as the use of treated wastewater for irrigation
• Desalination of brackish water
• Efficient use of available water including the better use of pricing and water
conservation measures
• The protection, preservation and improvement of the water quality
•Modern irrigation systems (AIS) like drip irrigation, sprinkler, sup-surface irrigation
Modern irrigation systems have been used in Cyprus agriculture for the last 40
years
 is estimated that currently over 95% of the total irrigated land of the country is
It
being served by modern irrigation methods.
With the improved irrigation systems and the scheduling of irrigation based on
experimental work of the Agricultural Research Institute, the overall water use
efficiency at farmers level is above 80%.
•Closed hydroponic cultivation systems into protected horticulture Bucharest 15-17/10/12

8. QUANTITIES OF TREATED EFFLUENT USED FOR IRRIGATION
m3
16.000.000 14.013.914
13.019.275
14.000.000 11.168.954 11.719.911 11.338.404
9.876.515 10.305.454 9.936.002
12.000.000
10.000.000
8.000.000
6.000.000
4.000.000
2.000.000
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Bucharest 15-17/10/12

9. Organic farming in Cyprus
•In Cyprus the organic farming was introduced in 1988 by small units
•Since 2000 with the enforcement of subsidy programs, an increase in the number of
farmers engaged in organic agriculture was registered. Today about 762 farmers
produce organic products
•The organic crops occupy an area of ​4.000 hectares
•180 business integrated into the organic certification control system, are related with
the production, processing, packaging and marketing of organic products
•Main crops are olives, vines (table and wine vines), cereals, citrus, herbs and fruit
trees
Bucharest 15-17/10/12

10. Organic Agriculture in Cyprus
Year No of Cultivated land, % on the total cultivated
farmers ha land
2002 45 166.5 0.1
2003 85 301.0 0.2
2004 150 909.3 0.7
2005 320 1709.1 1.3
2006 388 2000.8 1.6
2007 468 2314.9 1.8
2008 582 2840.0 2.2
2009 670 3575.0 2.7
2010 697 3821.0 2.9
2011 762 4003.3 3.0
Ανάπτυξη της Βιολ ογ ικής Γεωργίας
40000
30000
20000
10000
0 1
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 10

11. Crops under organic status in Cyprus
Crop % on the total
cultivated land
Olives 27.2
Grains 49.4 At present: Greenhouse
Vines 7.2 Vegetables (tomatoes,
cucumbers, beans) under
Aromatic plants 1.5 organic status cover an area of
Carobs 1.7 2 ha (Dep. Agriculture).
Deciduous 2.4
Citrus 1.4
Potatoes 0.2
Vegetables 1.1
Nuts 2.1
Bucharest 15-17/10/12 11

12. Wastewater reuse for organic greenhouse horticulture
• Lack of EU legislation regarding wastewater reuse in organic horticulture
•Though, there are no constrains regarding wastewater reuse in organic horticulture since:
 Nutrient composition of wastewater in significantly low due to treatment
processes and therefore can not substitute nutrient fertilizing
 The heavy metal content of wastewater is very low since wastewater treated is
derived mainly from domestic wastewater (not industrial)
 The quality of tertiary treated wastewater in Cyprus is extremely good (often
better from the water abstracted from wells)
Reuse and sustainability consist the main targets of organic horticulture
• In low nutrient demand crops (e.g. vines, olives), wastewater irrigation may satisfy all
seasonal nutrient demands

13. Examples of wastewater irrigation of organic protected horticulture

16. High technology implemented in organic protected horticulture
High roof, hi-tech greenhouses
Use of geothermal energy for greenhouse heating

17. Water Saving Option – Collecting the rain water from greenhouses and use for
irrigation
Gutters
Gutter pipes

18. Thank you for your attention