The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM), North Macedonia, organises the IV INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD (ISAF 2022) between 12-14 October 2022 in the city of Ohrid, North Macedonia. The event is presided by Prof. Dr. Vjekoslav TANASKOVIKJ, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food-Skopje, who realised a field training session on irrigation in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The event offers the opportunity for partners with the project DIVAGRI to panellists, including Prof. Dr. TANASKOVIJK, Prof. Dr. Ordan CUKALIEV and Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Martinovska STOJCHESKA, who are all members of the project DIVAGRI on behalf of partner UKIM.
Photo credit: Mr Svetoslav MALCHEV with the Institut Po Ovoshtarstvo-Plovdiv (Plovdiv, Bulgaria)
Fellow colleague Dr. Svetoslav MALCHEV with the Institut Po Ovoshtarstvo-Plovdiv (Plovdiv, Bulgaria), also a partner in project DIVAGRI, together with fellow colleagues Prof. Dr. Georgi KORNO and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald HANSMANN with Institut für Polymer – ipt Wismar, presented “Innovative clay-based micro-irrigation system “SLECI” (self-regulating, low energy, clay-based irrigation): preliminary results from cherry orchard trial”. This was organised with the Day 2 . 13.10., 18:00, Session III. With the title “Natural resources management and environment protection”, moderated by fellow colleagues Prof. Dr. d-r Zorica SRĐEVIĆ, Dr. Svetoslav MALCHEV and Dr. Ordan CUKALIEV.
SLECI is a self-regulating subsurface irrigation technique that uses the actual suction force of the surrounding soil for regulation of the system’s water release. Its concept, production and installation are simple and thus adaptable to rural environments saving on water and energy. The project DIVAGRI proposes that Bio-based materials and products used in production of SLECI pipes and tanks replace petrochemical-based materials used for conventional irrigation systems. Water is transported via clay tubes which have a higher suction tension than the applied hydraulic pressure, so the surface of the clay tubes stays damp. The DIVAGRI investigates its performance in a variety of local conditions and in combination with various (reclaimed) irrigation waters. SLECI is produced at two locations (Ghana and Namibia) and aims at: i) the development of production technology and clay-elements adapted to regional African conditions; ii) the transfer of technology; and iii) transfer of quality-control knowledge.
The project DIVAGRI practices SLECI as a vehicle to create financial gains and commercial opportunities for small-scale farmers through establishing a healthy and resilient farming system, and by significantly reducing time spent in the field, which could be allocated processing approaches. This settings correlates especially to women, who conduct most of the field work in our target countries.
Read the paper from the journal at: https://journals.ukim.mk/index.php/jafes/conferences
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