Spain has the biggest concentration of greenhouses
10 hours ago
- #sustainable agriculture
- #food innovation
- #greenhouse farming
- Europe's largest concentration of greenhouses, known as the 'sea of plastic,' spans over 30,000 hectares in Andalusia, Spain, producing 3.5 million tons of vegetables annually.
- The region began in 1963 with rudimentary greenhouses to protect crops, evolving into a high-tech hub using innovations like drip irrigation, natural pest control, and microclimate control to enable year-round harvests.
- Andalusia's agriculture focuses on sustainable technological revolution, prioritizing efficient water and energy use, with Europe's largest desalination plant producing over 120,000 cubic meters of water daily.
- Future agricultural development in Almería includes plans for AI, IoT, agrivoltaic systems, and circular economy practices, with vocational schools like Escuela Agraria de Vícar training students in these advanced techniques.
- Challenges include labor exploitation of over 70,000 foreign workers, with issues of underpayment and poor living conditions, and environmental concerns like plastic waste despite high recycling rates.