The first summer school within the SMARTWATER project is finished on Friday, September 3rd, 2021.
The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Banja Luka organized the first summer school within the H2020 SMARTWATER project. Summer school took place in Trebinje from August 30 to September 3, 2021.
The first summer school focused on Integrated approach for agricultural water management. This event gathered different project stakeholders, including university staff, students, agro-businesses sector, farmers, decision makers and agricultural extension and advisory service officers.
Representatives of the City of Trebinje, Agrarian Fund, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republic Srpska and University of Banja Luka expressed their welcome to all participants. According to the agenda, the first day of summer school was dedicated to the presentation of project implementation status and perspectives, as well as experimental activities. The second part was dedicated to thematic aspects in sustainable land and water management in agriculture.
The second day of summer school was combined of theoretical and practical presentations, with regard to the integrated approach to agricultural water management and also different irrigations systems and models.
Main target project stakeholders were early stage researchers (ESR), who had an opportunity to listen about contemporary practices in irrigation in agriculture. Presentations were held by experts from Spain, Italy and Bosnia and Hercegovina.
ESRs were also able to participate more active in the first summer school programme, by doing practical exercises, guided by experts in this field. Different irrigation systems models were studied, including surface irrigation and sprinkler irrigation systems.
On Wednesday, September the 1st, a study visit to vegetable nursery Adria Hishtil in Gabela (Čapljina) was organized. Participants were able to see modern methods of plant propagation, seedling care and irrigation practice in the greenhouse environment. After this occasion, participants visited the pumping station facility in Čapljina. The lunch and social gathering was organized in Hercegovka restaurant.
The fourth day was dedicated to the extension of theoretical and practical presentations, with regard to the evapotranspiration issues, fertigation, and the crop irrigation models. Presentations were held by experts from Portugal, Spain and Italy.
ESRs participated more interactive in practical exercises, that were related to drip irrigation system, as well as DSSAT and CROPWAT models. Microsoft Excel exercises were shown and trained, while working with different data for the abovementioned models was also emphasized.
Project coordinator, Prof. Mihajlo Marković, made final conclusions and closed the working sessions of the first summer school. All the participants have received a certitifate of participation.
For the last day of the summer school, a field visit to different facilities was organized following the agenda’s techical tour. Participants firstly visited the traditional irrigation practices facility (called locally “kola”) in suburb of Trebinje. After that, the tradional mill on the river was visited. The final step was to visit different water facilities and several orchards and vineyards in Trebinje area.
