Spain

Real Life Case, Rafael Alonso Aguilera, Andalusia, Spain

Focus on minimum tillage, cover crops and adding compost

     
Andalucía, Spain Rafael Alonso Aguilera and his dog

In Spain SmartSOIL partner Bertha Sanchez spoke to Rafael Alonso Aguilera who runs a 650 ha organic mixed farm producing high quality olive oil  in Andalucía. The soil is mainly sandy-loam and the mean precipitation is around 200mm. Rafael is using minimum tillage, cover crops and crop inputs (conservation tillage) in his rotations as well as olive pruning debris, grass cuttings and waste from the olive oil mill mixed with livestock waste to improve soil organic matter.

Real Life Case, Juan Ramón Alonso García and Carlos Garrachon, Andalusia, Spain

Focus on minimum tillage, crop rotation and residue management (conservation agriculture)

     
Andalucía, Spain Juan Ramón Alonso García and Carlos Garrachon

In Spain SmartSOIL partner Berta Sanchez spoke to Juan Ramón Alonso García and Carlos Garrachon who each run 200ha arable farms in Castilla-León. The soils are mainly clay and precipitation is irregular which makes water a limiting factor. Both Juan Ramón and Carlos applied minimum tillage, direct seeding and residue management practices across their whole farms. They have seen improvements in soil structure, water retention and workability