SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE December 12 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo of Tenerife is exploring the possibilities of fog water for utilisation on farms in the northern region of Tenerife.
The Primary Sector advisor, Valentín González, elaborates in a statement that Professor Axel Ritter from the University of La Laguna (ULL) has been assigned to this task “considering the circumstances brought about by the drought and aiming to initiate possible actions to enhance the agricultural sector’s situation in Tenerife”.
González underscores that “this investigation is a measure included in the initiatives to alleviate the impacts of the agroclimatic crisis affecting Tenerife’s agricultural landscape” and points out that “it demonstrates this Government’s commitment to incorporating innovation and sustainability standards into agricultural production”.
The Minister of the Primary Sector highlights that “the commission of this research is in line with the conclusions drawn from a report compiled by the Technical Service of Agriculture and Rural Development, which analysed the changing climatic conditions across 10 agroclimatic stations within the Agrocabildo Network, reflecting the diverse slopes and altitudes of the island over a historical period of 20 years”.
The report’s findings indicate a severe and protracted drought in the island’s midlands, as well as a similarly enduring drought affecting other areas of the island.
Moreover, the past two years have been pivotal, characterised by a rise in heatwave incidents accompanied by African dust, compounded by reduced rainfall and increased evapotranspiration.
As highlighted in the report, drought conditions coupled with rising temperatures lead to variations in the behaviour of pests and diseases.
Valentín González stresses that “given this diagnosis, it is crucial to seek innovative solutions that will enhance the water balance in the farms experiencing the most significant challenges”, and in this regard, “the non-precipitable water found in low-lying clouds – known as fog – can be harnessed as a water resource through the implementation of fog collectors.”
The collection of fog water could help meet the water requirements of farms in modest amounts, supporting irrigation efforts, improving the quality of irrigation water when it is inadequate, and assisting in the preparation of phytosanitary treatments.
The commission granted to the University of La Laguna has a completion timeframe of 12 months, and among the tasks to be undertaken in the study, a measurement initiative involving small collectors will be conducted to evaluate the potential for fog water capture; data analysis will follow, alongside the identification of regions with the highest potential for water collection and the presentation of findings.
