BIOAZUL presents its Axarquía Living Lab as an innovation model for sustainable agriculture using reclaimed water

Málaga, June 27, 2025 – On June 25 and 26, our colleague from BIOAZUL, Rafael Casielles, gave a presentation at the 4th Seminar of the International Forum for the Exchange of Sustainable Practices in Organic Production and the 2nd Agroecology Partnership Workshop, held in Cerralba (Pizarra) and Algarrobo. This event, organized by the Andalusian Agricultural and Fisheries Management Agency (AGAPA), brought together agri-food SMEs, international entities, and various stakeholders from the agroecological innovation ecosystem.

During our intervention, we had the opportunity to present the development process of our Axarquía Living Lab, an initiative led by BIOAZUL as a platform for experimentation, validation, and collaboration focused on the use of reclaimed water in sustainable agriculture. We shared our experience on topics such as funding models, legal structure, generated social and environmental benefits, as well as the challenges and lessons learned along the way.

This Living Lab emerged as a response to the significant challenges posed by climate change in our region, which suffers from severe water scarcity caused by prolonged drought and steadily rising temperatures. In this context, reclaimed water has proven to be an effective adaptation solution: it allows us to reuse a resource that would otherwise be discharged into the sea, at a lower cost than alternatives such as desalination or water transfers, and with added value thanks to its nutrient content beneficial for crops.

Our work in this area began in 2016 with the RICHWATER project, aimed at validating a technology based on a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to obtain high-quality effluent for agricultural irrigation, optimizing nutrient content. This project led to the ETV (Environmental Technology Verification) certification, confirming that our technology already complied with the EU regulation on reclaimed water, in force since 2023.

The experimental plot next to the Algarrobo wastewater treatment plant (EDAR) has been crucial in this journey. In collaboration with the IHSM La Mayora Institute, we conducted agronomic studies on tomato crops, showing that reclaimed water use does not negatively impact fruit quality or productivity. This space, thanks to the commitment of numerous local actors such as the Algarrobo Town Hall, the Association of Municipalities of the Costa del Sol-Axarquía, the Algarrobo Irrigation Community, TROPS, AXARAGUA, and the Spanish Association of Tropical Crops, has evolved into what we now call our Axarquía Living Lab.

This living lab has been recognized by the European Water Platform and is featured in its Living Labs Atlas for the sector, establishing itself as a real, open experimentation space to validate technological solutions at a scale close to real field conditions.

Currently, we are coordinating four innovation projects within the Living Lab:

• In the BONEX project, we are developing a decision-support tool to help farmers adjust fertilizer use based on the nutritional content of reclaimed water, minimizing environmental risks due to nutrient excess.

• In the P2GREEN project, we are extending previous agronomic studies to subtropical crops, which are key to our region, and integrating sensors that allow more automated and precise nutrient management.

• We are also involved in the Axarquía Sostenible Operational Group, where we are researching new crops like pitaya and passion fruit, and incorporating leaf and sap analyses to further improve sustainable fertilization decision-making.

• Additionally, through the NOVAFERT project, the Living Lab has been selected as a lighthouse demo site in Andalusia, hosting technical visits and demonstrations focused on using reclaimed water as a secondary nutrient source in circular agricultural systems.

During the seminar, we also shared space with inspiring public-private collaboration experiences and active participation from eco-SMEs, as well as a leading Italian cooperative in agroecological innovation.

Visit to our Living Lab

The event concluded on June 26 with a technical visit to our Living Lab, where attendees had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the implemented solutions, engage in dialogue with local stakeholders, and contribute ideas to help advance the sustainability of the agricultural model in our region.

During the visit, participants were introduced to the tertiary treatment and disinfection system used to regenerate treated wastewater from the Algarrobo WWTP. They then visited the blending station, where the quality of the reclaimed water is continuously monitored and controlled, with special emphasis on key parameters such as electrical conductivity.

Finally, the group explored the experimental plot, where mango and avocado crops are grown. They observed the different fertigation treatments using reclaimed water, gaining insight into how these practices are being evaluated in real field conditions for their agronomic performance and sustainability.