María del Carmen Rodríguez, Agustín Gómez, Antonio Domingo and Jorge Cruz are the four young protagonists this week of the Cultiva project. For five days they move to Caravaca de la Cruz, in the Murcia region, to a farm that has 1,100 hectares, located at about 1,500 meters of altitude with a rainfall of 330mm dedicated to extensive, ecological and regenerative ecology. They produce cereals, nuts, pome and stone fruits and aromatic plants. But they also have several entrepreneurs and organizations that have established themselves on the farm to carry out their projects, an academy, a natural wine cellar, a communication agency, a volunteer camp for reforestation and a vermicomposting project.
The four young people come from different parts of the country. María del Carmen Rodríguez de Mateo is a cereal and olive producer in Madridejos – Toledo-; Agustín Antonio Gómez Lobo, has his vineyard, olive grove and cereal exploitation in Herencia -Ciudad Real-; Antonio Domingo MOnterroso, produces cereal in Villarejo de Salvanes – Madrid- and Jorge Cruz Gómez, has a vineyard, olive grove and cereal farm in Villafranca de los Caballeros – Toledo-.
The topics that will be addressed during their stay are:
– Planning and economic and financial management of farms. Financial planning.
– Mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Diversification and perennial rainfed crops.
– Diversification, transformation and agri-food marketing. Direct sales and cooperation with packaging companies/cooperatives.
– Use of digital technologies.
GPS on tractors and uses.
– Mechanization, incorporation and use of technologies in production processes. Design of plantations for good mechanization.
– Water: techniques and technologies for a rational use.
Infiltration ditches and ponds.
– Management of agricultural crops and soil, tillage and fertilization techniques. Reduction of tillage and vegetal covers.
– Recovery and management of autochthonous breeds.
Levantine Murcian cow recovery.
– Incorporation of environmental criteria and sustainable practices. Compost and biodiversity hedges.
During their formative stay, they have complementary technical visits to a super-intensive olive grove, an ecosystem restoration camp and a visit to a natural wine cellar and a project to recover the profitability of old vineyards.
