HortiMED — Towards circular horticulture: closing the loop on Mediterranean greenhouses
Project Consortium
The HortiMED Project
Entitled "Towards circular horticulture: Closing the loop on Mediterranean greenhouses" (Grant Number 1915) is an action implemented by INKOA SISTEMAS S.L. (INKOA, Spain, Coordinator), the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF, Egypt, partner), the University Mohamed Khider, Biskra (UMKB, Algeria, partner) and Universidad de Deusto (UDeusto, Spain, partner).
The action was awarded a grant under the PRIMA Programme, which is supported by the European Union under Horizon 2020 the European Union's Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
The HortiMED project, which has an overall duration of 48 months, aims to provide the Mediterranean horticultural community with innovative tools to enable resource efficient year round greenhouse cultivation by harnessing the potential of both simple and advanced technologies for smart nutrient, irrigation & climate control, and integrated pest management taking into account their feasibility and cost-effectiveness at individual greenhouse level.
HortiMED
Project Information
| Location | Egypt, Algeria, Spain |
|---|---|
| Start Date | 01 / 03 / 2020 |
| Duration | 60 Months |
| Budget | 1,461,438 € |
| EU Contribution | 1,285,763 € |
Objectives
The overall objective is to provide the Mediterranean horticultural community with innovative tools to enable resource-efficient, year-round greenhouse cultivation by harnessing smart nutrient, irrigation & climate control, and integrated pest management — taking into account their feasibility and cost-effectiveness at individual greenhouse level.
To achieve this, the project targets the following Specific Objectives (SO):
Smart Decision Support System
Expert advice and automation for better greenhouse control and decision-making.
IMTA-Aquaponics System
Demonstrate closed-loop aquaponics for sustainable Mediterranean produce.
Integrated Pest Management
Provide farmers with eco-friendly, effective pest management tools.
Tech Validation
Validate HortiMED technologies and analyse their impact across different greenhouses.
Communicate Results
Effectively communicate project findings to embed them locally.
Work Plan
In order to achieve the objectives of the HortiMED project, a Work Package (WP) structure has been defined to ensure the most effective performance of work. Five (5) WPs cover different milestones and deliverables:
WP1 — System Definition
Focused on defining the system based on user, functional, technical and environmental requirements and specifications.
WP2 — Key Technical Solutions
Resolving technical challenges, innovating, and defining HW/SW integration by designing the system architecture and interoperation mechanism.
WP3 — Prototype Development & Validation
Takes technology outputs from WP2 with the requirements from WP1 and validates the system in real operating conditions.
WP4 — Technology Transfer
Focuses on effectively transferring HortiMED technologies and disseminating project results alongside an updated Business Plan.
WP5 — Coordination & Management
Transversal WP connected to all WPs, defining the management structure and communication with the PRIMA Secretariat/EC.
Demo Sites
HortiMED implements its innovative solutions in various demo sites across the Mediterranean region, showcasing the effectiveness of advanced water management, aquifer recharge, and water reuse practices in real-world settings.
