The high-efficiency irrigation project being developed in Hermigua was the focus of the first session of the technical workshops “Water, Innovation, and Agricultural Modernization”. The event, organized by the Canary Islands Government's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty with the collaboration of various local entities, aims to improve water management for the primary sector.
The Vice-Minister of the Primary Sector, Eduardo García Cabello, inaugurated the workshops, highlighting the importance of modernizing irrigation infrastructure. The Liria-Castellana network initiative seeks to optimize water use through management and distribution systems adapted to agricultural needs.
The regional Executive has allocated over 13 million euros to finance ten desalination plants in the Archipelago. In La Gomera, specifically in Hermigua, a desalination plant has been assigned with a budget of 1,781,929.40 euros, currently under execution, to increase water availability.
The pilot project in Hermigua is demonstrative and aims to test new drip irrigation technologies, replacing the traditional sprinkler system. The objective is to gather data to facilitate its application in other agricultural holdings in the Canary Islands.
In addition to irrigation modernization, the workshops address the potential of crops such as tropical fruits and coffee in La Gomera. The commercial potential of tropical fruits, mango and avocado cultivation, and a specific session on coffee cultivation are being analyzed, exploring new commercialization and territory-linked activities.
The first session included a presentation by researcher Mónica González from the Canary Institute of Agricultural Research (ICIA) on the maintenance and recovery of agricultural soils. The second block will cover projects like “Guardians of the Territory” and the commercial potential of tropical fruits.
