Direct cultivation of the flooded areas, after their drainage, the goal of ELGO – DIMITRA and the Ministry of Transport and Communications
With the aim of restoring the fertility of the flooded lands in Thessaly as quickly as possible, so that they can be cultivated immediately, after their drainage, ELGO – DIMITRA, after a meeting that its leadership had with the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Lefteri Avgenakisproceeded to draw up a special plan, utilizing the suggestions of the specialized scientific staff it has.
The conclusion of the meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Lefteris Avgenakis, with the President of the Agency, Serko Haroutounian and the Managing Director, Panagiotis Hatzinikolaou, was that the complexity of the situation in the flooded lands of Thessaly requires the adoption of responsible approaches and actions that are precise, scientifically documented , and far from any generalized criticism in which the geotechnical substance is absent.
The scientific training and experience of ELGO-DIMITRA indicates lands that have simply been flooded will be able to be cultivated immediately after they have been drained, and lands that have been mixed with transported materials (especially in flat zones) will be cultivable under conditions. In this direction, ELGO-DIMITRA is committed to offering the necessary scientific solutions that will contribute to the sustainable development of the region.
Centered on the Institute of Industrial and Livestock Plants of Larissa and in collaboration with other Institutes of ELGO-DIMITRA (Institute of Soil Water Resources and Institute of Genetic Improvement & Plant Genetic Resources), the works based on the digitized soil maps they have have already started.
As the Agency’s management points out, digitized soil maps are a vital tool for accurately understanding and dealing with the effects caused by flooding phenomena on the fertility of the region’s soils.
The plan of ELGO – DIMITRA, as a scientific body for the rural development of the country and the Institutes it has, includes, among others:
- On-site visits and initial macroscopic assessment of the extent of the damage caused by the flooding, emphasizing the loss of topsoil (especially on sloping lands) and the possible change in the granulometry and structure of the soils (due to transported materials).
- Advisory support on the immediate actions that should be taken or avoided, in order not to exacerbate the problems of soil erosion and compaction.
- Soil analyzes to measure the fertility of soils from ELGO-DIMITRA’s accredited laboratories and a mobile unit for direct sampling and analysis in all flooded fields.
- Remedial measures based on soil analyzes to improve soil fertility, including a long-term management plan in depth of 3 or 5 years.
- Continuous advisory support to producers for the implementation of the proposed remedial measures.
Finally, it is pointed out that the mobile soil/hydrological laboratory of the Institute of Industrial and Livestock Plants of Larissa is ready and, when the conditions allow, will start its work in the Thessalian plain immediately.
“Our goal is”, as stated by the management of ELGO DIMITRA, “timely and continuous support and cooperation with producers, prioritizing reliability and scientific accuracy”.
Source: Skai
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