Operational adaptation Nexus-based systems solutions in Thessaly

Description: This DS is one of the most important cotton production areas in the EU, with over 7,000 cotton farmers in a total cultivated area of 280,000 ha. Water for irrigation is collected in an artificial lake (Lake Plastiras) initially established for electrical power generation, and then transferred through an 86.9 km network of irrigation channels, with additional pressurised pipelines and sensor-controlled points to monitor water circulation and consumption.
Socio-economic issues: The area faces challenges as agricultural and tourist activities require substantial freshwater resources, and cotton cultivation in particular demands significant water and energy inputs for irrigation. The tourism industry and environmental considerations call for sufficient water levels in the lake, while the hydroelectric plant requires a continuous water supply for national security. Conflicting priorities lead to ongoing debates among farmers, tourism entrepreneurs, and the national electric company. Moreover, the dominant role of cotton and other arable crops in the local economy, which support over 9,000 jobs in a region with high unemployment rates, highlights the need to improve water-use efficiency and provide incentives for other sectors to thrive alongside cotton production. A collapse of agricultural production may exacerbate migration towards big cities, thereby making the preservation of a sustainable balance even more critical for the region's future.
WEFE resource status: Cotton production in the area is characterised by the overuse of limited water resources with high energy costs. Furthermore, another negative outcome of the intensity of cultivation is nitrate pollution and biodiversity degradation.

WEFE Nexus-based adaptation solutions: A precision-farming decision support tool focused on irrigation. The tool combines: i) the installation of innovative sensors to collect data on water needs in different sections of the arable land, and ii) the use of drones to monitor crops and detect their water needs. Collected data are automatically transferred to central software, to be used by public and private extension services as a support tool for advising farmers on irrigation. Different operational adaptation solutions will be co-designed, co-deployed and assessed around this initiative, by focusing on reducing the water consumption of the different competing sectors (agriculture vs tourism) as well as on the creation of new business models in order to support local communities, reduce unemployment and increase the resilience of marginalised communities (Romani people working in agriculture and the industrial sector). Stakeholders, other of the DIONYSUS project participants are: Municipality of Sofades, Cooperative Thesgi, Cooperative Agroland, Association of Thessalian Enterprises and Industry, Regional Tourism Service of Thessaly, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Prefecture of Karditsa, Ministry of the Environment and Energy. At least on an annual basis there is consoltation among all stakeholders, discussing, co-designing, and approving the goups of activities undertaken to develop adaptation solutions relted to Water, Energy, and Ecosystems aspects related to value chains already existing in the region.

The concept underpinning theDS lies on the co-design of a Cross-Sectoral Nexus adaptation tool in representative DSs towards the co-design of WEFE adaptation strategies that build an efficient use and saving of water-energy-ecosystem resources, and sustainable market solutions. In this pursuit, the DS will mobilize several concepts and approaches to provide a comprehensive framework that integrates impact assessment approach, resilience and risk analyses, stakeholder participative approach, and policy alignment concept. These approaches and concepts aim to foster a holistic understanding of the intricate relationships between WEFE elements, drive informed decision-making, and co-create adaptable solutions that resonate with the principles of the European Green Deal, Water Framework Directive (WFD), and relevant EU missions and partnerships. The Action Panel fosters collaborative co-design, co-deployment, and assessment of operational adaptation and market solutions for strategic decision-making and policy options. Local farmers, experts, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders actively participate in the development and refinement of strategies that align with their unique contexts. This co-creation process ensures that proposed solutions are contextually relevant, practical, and inclusive. This concept encompasses equity and social responsibility targets that are based mostly on the co-creation of knowledge and responsible governance together with human, social and food values. On the centre of this Action-Panel will be main partner institutions of the DIONYSUS project with high experience on engaging stakeholders, local communities, and promoting innovation and policy-influencing/policymaking. Around these main partners, other important cross-sectorial stakeholders have been identified, invited, and accepted to participate in the Action-Panel. Within the context of the DIONYSUS project, operational adaptations and market solutions to be tested take the form of scenarios, combining technical advancements, socio-economic incentives, and external drivers like climate uncertainty, resource access, public policies, and sectoral needs. These scenarios and associated indicators are collaboratively chosen with the "Action-Panel". The timeline for the short-term goals of it fit within the duration od DIONYSUS project, while the long-term ones exceed its duration, being though reassured via the business models this project will develop. 

Development and test of the WEFE platform support tool. Data management support. Report on experiment simulations. Guidelines for trade-off analysis: At least 500 simulations.

Use of renweable energy. The water body used for irrigation, produces 300,000 MWHs electricity power.

  Innovative irrigation networks/infrastructures through an under-pressure network for less water consumption and enhanced water management: Farmers'  income for the  is referred to total savings up to 466.67 €/ha/year

Crop rotation and introduction of leguminous plants (alfalfa, Vicia sativa, and ARVENSE Pisum sativum L.): Less use of agrochemicals (-30%), less weed pressure (-20%), biodeversity increase, increase in soil moisture retention capacity and soil health improvement. 

It is quite imporatne to be mentioned that there is significant interest from stakeholders participating in this Action panel to co-design and adopt innovative technologies related to irrigation and energy saving. Given the fact that in the region of Thessaly there is a considerable deficit of water, the prospect of agricultural and non-agricultural activities is in jeopardy. The diverse group of stakeholders provide considerable feedback, expressing at the same time their willingness to be informed and trained on new technologies and water usage protocols, so to improve usage levels and safeguard sastainability standards of local communities. This dynamic approach is replicable to the satelite Action Panels of our consortium, and it will serve as a lighthouse for other similar cases across the EU and the Mediterranean basin, increasing by this way the scalability potential of the results obtained. Furthermore, the development of a Decision Support System will provide additional information on topics of interest of a broader audience, communicating results, technologies, and practices duting and beyond the lifespan of the project.