147 stakeholders participated in the first local workshop in Ferrara

Great success for the first meeting of the LIN (Local Implementation Network) organized by the Province of Ferrara on November 24th, 2011. More than 140 people – among them farmers, technicians and policy-makers – attended the conference during which the results of the pilot action carried out by the Province of Ferrara, with the scientific support of the local University PARCAGRI, were explained to the local community of stakeholders.
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Third EU.WATER international newsletter published

Following the delivery of the vulnerability maps that measure the water stress factors detected in every rural pilot regions and the current analysis of the codes of good agricultural practices traditionally implemented by farmers and technicians in every areas, EU.WATER partnership is now focused on the definition of a Transnational Strategy for the Integrated Water Management in Agriculture that represents the roadmap to transfer across South East Europe knowledge and patters for a (economic and ecologic) sustainable and scientific agriculture in line with EU standards (WFD and Nitrate Directive). All information and much more is contained in the third international newsletter of EU.WATER project.

EU.WATER broadcasted on Ukrainian TV

Great attention by Ukrainian MEDIA towards EU.WATER project. Two reports have been broadcasted on the main Ukrainian TV channel on 13th of October 2011 beside the EU.WATER scientific forum organized in Odessa. Marco Meggiolaro, project manager, Giuseppe Castaldelli, scientific project coordinator and Valery Lebed, responsible of EU.WATER project for the Odessa National Polytechnic University were interviewed by journalists on the main objectives of the project and the expected impacts for the Odessa regional administration. Click here to watch the interview 1 and the interview 2

5th Scientific and Technical Partnership Forum – Steering Committee meeting - Odessa (Ukraine)

Odessa National Polytechnic University (ONPU), the Ukrainian partner of EU.WATER, will organize the 5th Steering Committee meeting on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th of October 2011 at its premises. On Friday, 14th of October, ONPU will host the 5th Scientific and Technical Forum of the EU.WATER project where the participants will discuss the intermediate results of the pilot actions and the first part of the common ‘Transnational Strategy for the Integrated Water Management in Agriculture (TSIWMA)’ related to water optimization. The participants will also make a quick introduction to the analysis of the agronomical technical similarities and differences in nitrate management among partner countries and set the basis for the development of the second part of the TSIWMA strategy, e.g. efficient nitrate management.
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Province of Rovigo shows the pilot action to 300 stakeholders in Veneto

On 13th of May 2011 the Province of Rovigo presented in Mogliano Veneto (Treviso Province) in Diana Farm (Veneto Region estate) the results of the pilot action developed in the frame of EU.WATER project. The field demonstration of driven barrel equipped with cultivators with straight tines allows sidedress cattle slurry between corn rows. This activity took place during the 2nd “Field Day” of the project “Riducareflui” (reduction of pollution load from livestock waste generated in the drainage basin of Venice lagoon); the “Riducareflui” project has been financed by Veneto Region.
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Transnational capacity building on water monitoring in Ferrara (Italy) - (July 2011)

From 11th to 18th July the Province of Ferrara, with the technical support of CFR (Ferrara Research Centre) organizes a transnational intensive seminar to reinforce the general capacities of administrations from Serbia, Croatia, Moldova and Ukraine in water and environmental monitoring procedures, to better address local and regional policy planning for agricultural and water-related issues. for each partner interested, there will be an evaluation, by a team of experts, of the state of achievement of the EU.WATER results achieved so far, according to the criticalities registered. Then, the capacity building and training will focus on critical aspects identified in the use of GIS mapping technology, sampling of aquifers and surface water (on-the-field training carried out in the Ferrara pilot test rural area) and – finally - chemical and LAB analysis on the main nitrogen analytes with particular reference to the necessary equipment.
Download the programme of the capacity building here

Romania delivers the first and second local newsletters - (June 2011)

The first and second number of the Romanian e-newsletters now available. In these number you can find information about the description of the results gained by the Romanian team and the planning of activities related to the pilot action in Ares-Vedea basin.
Download the local e-newsletters

4th Scientific and Technical Partnership Forum organized in Rovigo (Italy) - (May 2011)

The Province of Ferrara, Italian partner of EU.WATER, organized the fourth Scientific and Technical Forum in Rovigo on 19th and 20th May 2010. After the opening speech of the Councilor of Economic Activities, the team focused on the presentation of the final results of the vulnerability maps to nitrates in the pilot areas and discussed over the Transnational Strategy for Integrated Water Management in Agriculture.
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180 participants at the first cycle of trainings in Pancevo City (Serbia) - (February 2011)

Between December 2010 and February 2011 the Institute for Agricultural Economics of Beograd, in cooperation with the institute “Tamiš” from Pancevo, organized the first cycle of trainings in Pancevo City and in 12 local communities belonging to the Serbian pilot area actually under investigation in EU.WATER project. The great success of the initiatives is witnessed by the extremely high number of participants, around 180!
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Local newsletters gather the impact of EU.WATER in the project pilot regions (February 2011)

EU.WATER is stepping into the crucial phase of applying the researches on fertilizers’ vulnerability and water rationalization in the project rural areas. The implementation of pilot actions, together with the elaboration of one joint international strategy for water management in agriculture, is supported by continuous local consultation processes at regional level, where policymakers, farmers and agronomist provide input to the project teams to merge new scientific drivers with the traditional codes of good practices. Local newsletters are part of a larger information campaigns carried on in every EU.WATER partners’ regions. The second issues of the February newsletters from Italy and Ukraine are now available on EU.WATER project website – section “local newsletters”

Fourth Partnership Forum in Rovigo (Italy) to be held 19th and 20th of May 2011

The Fourth Partnership Forum in Rovigo (Italy) will be devoted to analyse the results of the vulnerability maps in the perspective of the elaboration of one joint international strategy for water management in agriculture. One half day field-visit is scheduled during the forum. The programme of the meeting shortly available here.

Now available the 2nd number of EU.WATER international newsletter (December 2010)

EU.WATER project has now reached its halfway point: the second number of the international newsletter updates SEE readers with the most important activities performed to date and midterm results that will lead to the development of the ambitious Transnational Strategy for the Integrated Water Management in Agriculture in the SEE cooperation space.

Moreover, in the current focus article we brief on the EU’s new growth strategy - Europe 2020 - approved by the EC on June 17, 2010 that along with the ongoing reforming process of the Common Agriculture Policy, is extremely important for the definition of the EU.WATER integrated management methodology of water resources in the SEE agriculture areas. Additionally, from the present newsletter we report on how Croatia and Serbia are approaching EU adhesion on rural environmental topics, while Ukraine and Moldova are getting closer to EU water management standards in agriculture. Enjoy the reading!

1st working table within the Italian Local Implementation Network (LIN) organized in Arquà Polesine (Rovigo) (Nov. 2010)

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Open days in Brussels, (4-7 October 2010)

Since 2003, the OPEN DAYS - European Week of Regions and Cities, has become an annual key event at which cities and regions to showcase their capacity for creating growth and jobs, implementing European Union cohesion policy, and proof the importance of the local level for good European governance.
The OPEN DAYS was held for the eighth time in Brussels between 4 and 7 October 2010. Again, around 100 seminars, workshops or debates plus exhibitions and networking opportunities were taken place, organised in partnership with regions and cities from all over Europe, and including contributions by companies, banks and international associations and academic organisations. To download the programme go to: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/conferences/od2010/index.cfm

Regional reports delivered (Sep. 2010)

Five regional reports from Italy, Greece, Hungary, Croatia and Serbia delivered by the partnership so far. The regional reports provide data concerning the available information, on soil characteristics, agricultural practices and water management conditions in the partners’ target areas.
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SEE Annual Conference 2010 (Sep. 2010)

European Commission monitoring mission in Serbia (July 2010)

In July 2010 the European Commission implemented the external Results-Oriented Monitoring (ROM) to the EU.WATER IPA Partner - Institute of Agricultural Economics (IAE) in order to determine the progress of the Project and its overall performance, in the frame of projects and programmes of the EC External Cooperation in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
read more... (Description + outcomes will be delivered shortly)

University of Aristotle study visit in Ferrara (June 2010)

In June 2010, the University of Aristotle University, leader of the work package “knowledge capitalization” visited the TECNOPOLO - spin-off of the University of Ferrara and lead partners’ technical advisor – to finalize the methodology that supports the development of the GIS maps showing water management sprawl in agricultural areas. The collected maps will highlight issues, such as the water saving and water protection in agricultural regions from nitrates and other agriculture-related parameters, that will contribute at the transnational strategy and drive the development of targeted-interventions in the project pilot areas.

1st working table within the Hungarian Local Implementation Network (LIN) (June 2010)

The first LIN’s seminar addressed to the local stakeholders of the Hungarian pilot area – Tisza River basin – Hajdu-Bihar County was held in June 2010.
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EU.WATER 1st e-newsletter (May 2010)

The first International e-newsletter of the EU.WATER project is now available.
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Third Partnership Forum in Budapest to be held 20th and 21st of October

EU.WATER 3rd Scientific & Technical Partnership Forum in Budapest will take place in Budapest on next 20th and 21st of October, organised by the University of Debrecen. Crucial issues of the Forum will be the discussion over Common standards to upgrade existing maps addressed to highlight water sensitive areas in agriculture and a shared roadmap to address the Transnational Strategy for the Integrated Water Management in Agriculture.
The agenda will be available soon.