CEREAPI Operational Group: Living soils and honey crops linked to sustainable malt production
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Assigned Budget 150.000,00 €
- Scope Autonómico
- Autonomous community Aragón
Abstract
CEREAPI is an operational group focused on improving sustainability in the production of malt, beer, and honey by applying a sustainable management model to marginal agricultural areas.
Key points include:
- Pollen supply: Increased availability of pollen for pollinators.
- Farmer Demonstration: Show farmers that marginal spaces can provide ecosystem services.
- Sustainable beer: Brewing beer with organically grown barley.
- Partnership with Ámbar: Collaboration with the Aragonese brewery Ámbar.
- Three-year model validation: The model will be tested over three years, beginning in Tabernas de Isuela and expanding to other plots in Huesca.
- Monitoring: Tracking factors such as flowering, soil health, carbon sequestration, and stress resistance.
- Supply of raw materials: With the aim of obtaining environmentally responsible raw materials.
- Sustainability Seal by 2027: Participating producers and farmers will receive a seal for meeting sustainability goals.
Description
CEREAPI is an operational group focused on improving sustainability in the production of malt, beer, and honey by applying a sustainable management model to marginal agricultural areas.
Description of activities
- Design of an available, affordable, long-lasting, heterogeneous, and melliferous mix. Mixture costing less than €200/ha or obtaining 5 to 10 melliferous species adapted to the area and chronologically overlapping in flowering. Presence of flowers during periods of pollen and nectar scarcity.
- Planting and maintenance of 3 experimental plots during the project, and up to 20-25 demonstration plots.
- Establishment of a more extended annual flowering schedule, with the quantification and identification of all flowers of honey-producing species, both planted and spontaneous, present in the experimental plots. Reduction in the presence of undesirable weeds by 80%.
- Quantification of the improvement of certain parameters related to soil quality: (1) percentage of organic matter; (2) forms of nitrogen, carbon, microelements, etc.; (3) count of bacteria and fungi; (4) functionality of bacteria; (5) level of ectomycorrhiza: arbuscular mycorrhiza (indicator of carbon sequestration); (6) relative abundance of fungi from different phyla; (7) biocontrol agents, exopolysaccharides, siderophores, soil respiration.
- Correct health assessment of the beehives placed and the associated beekeeping tasks (feed supplementation, hive transfer, etc.) in the experimental plots near alfalfa crops.
- Creation of a documented, coordinated, and peaceful coexistence manual for beekeepers and farmers interested in honey production in marginal agricultural areas.
- Creation of a collaboration seal for the project. 8) Promotion of the honey production program in marginal agricultural areas
Objectives
- The implementation of techniques that can lead to a comprehensive reduction in the use of herbicide active ingredients, soil conservation and carbon sequestration, and the promotion of sustainable management, based on the cultivation of honey plants in undisturbed marginal agricultural areas.
- Promote efficient management of natural resources (soil, water) and inputs on these farms (energy, fertilizers, seeds, manure, and phytosanitary products).
- Correct health assessment of the beehives placed and the associated beekeeping tasks (feed supplementation, hive transfer, etc.) in the experimental plots near alfalfa crops.
- Improve climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agri-food and forestry sectors.
- Creation of a collaboration seal with the project.
Contact information
- Coordinator/entity name: Semillas Vilas SL
- Postal address: Calle Afueras S/N
- Coordinator/entity email: vilas@agricolasanjulian.com
- Telephone: 974390182
Coordinators
- Semillas Vilas SL
Collaborators
- Asociación Aragonesa de Apicultura ARNA (arnaapicola@gmail.com)
- AGRÍCOLA SANTIAGO S.A. (cesarcasas@agricolasanjulian.com)
- SAT 836 SAN GREGORIO Y SAN MIGUEL (satvicien@gmail.com)
Beneficiaries
- Semillas Vilas SL
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