'Applied innovation' – sustainability and profitability
According to Javier Juárez (Azud's Agribusiness Manager), today, horticulture and agriculture all over the world are facing major challenges such as water scarcity, increased input costs, as well as uncertainty concerning climatic, geopolitical, and technological developments. To address these challenges, Azud is developing water efficient technologies. He says: "The combination of technological innovation and application knowledge results in applied innovation, which allows us to tackle the challenges of today's agriculture." That's why Azud designs technologies for drip irrigation, filtration, plant nutrition, digital management, and water treatment technologies. "The development of innovative technology for horticulture must always pursue two clear objectives: profitability and sustainability," he says.
One of Azud's office
"Through precision drip irrigation systems, which guarantee a uniform and efficient distribution of water directly to the roots of the plant, we can save up to 30% of water, fertilizers, or energy," Javier illustrates. "While at the same time improving the quantity and quality of our crops. In this way, we can provide horticulture with a way of making its production more profitable and sustainable, moving towards more efficient and environmentally friendly systems".
He continues: "Another example of a more efficient use of our natural resources is the use of drainage water in agriculture. The strategy is particularly interesting for hydroponic crops as it can recover up to 40% of the water that was initially supplied. As a result, there is more water available for irrigation, which offers the possibility to expand cultivation areas without the need for additional water sources. In addition, drainage water is rich in essential nutrients that have not been fully absorbed by the crops. By reusing this water, up to 30% of the initially supplied nutrients are recovered which reduces the consumption and cost of additional fertilizers. In other words, the usage of drainage water is an essential strategy for producers facing water scarcity".
Azud's markets
Azud has its headquarters in Spain and 6 subsidiaries in Mexico, Brazil, India, China, and Singapore. However, the company is present in more than 100 countries, among which Turkey. In Turkey, Azud is currently experiencing growth. Nevertheless, Javier highlights that Turkey is not Azud's sole focus when it comes to market growth: "Turkey is an important market for us at the moment. We have a team specialized in the local market, which understands the needs of this territory. However, our international expansion does not stop, developing irrigation, filtration, plant nutrition, digital management, and water treatment projects all over the world. All our markets are equally important to us, and we see great potential to further develop in all of them".
Azud technology applied to a Chinese blueberry farm
Javier also shares the story of a Chinese 20-hectare blueberry farm that has been using Azud's water solutions to prevent the disruption of uniform irrigation. "In the Yunnan region of China, water storage in reservoirs or metal tanks is a common practice to meet the water requirements of crops. However, such reservoirs often create ideal conditions for algal blooms due to excessive organic matter. The algae can clog irrigation support stakes, which disrupts uniform irrigation and necessitates labor-intensive cleaning methods (such as soaking stakes overnight in a mixture of water and peroxide)."
The blueberry farm in Yunnan, China
He explains how Azud's Helix Automatic has been used to address this challenge: "Azud Helic Automatic is equipped with disc filtering elements that proved to be a game-changer for this blueberry farm. The system excels in depth filtration, effectively capturing algae and other impurities. What sets it apart is its automatic self-cleaning, which efficiently removes captured debris from the system, eliminating the need for manual cleaning. The benefits of implementing this Azud solution were multifold. First, the producer ensured consistent and uniform irrigation by preventing clogging of spike emitters. In addition, this grower achieved labor savings because of the automated backwash functionality that eliminated the need for labor-intensive cleaning of irrigation support stakes, reducing operational costs and freeing up labor for other tasks."
"In other words, the solution not only streamlined irrigation operations but also enhanced overall efficiency and productivity for the blueberry farm. This underscores the transformative impact of leveraging innovative water solutions in agriculture, paving the way for sustainable and profitable farming practices worldwide," he concludes.
The Azud Helix Automatic
For more information:
Sistema Azud, S.A.
Tel.: +34 968 808 402 
[email protected]
www.azud.com