Location

1. National Centre For Irrigation TechnologyCentral Laboratory for Irrigation Equipment and Materials TestingMADRID - SPAIN

2. Location

3. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY (CENTER) Laboratory Irrigation pond Central building Pívot Sprinkler benche Pumping Station Ranger Weir Meteorological Station Henares River

4. Work Areas TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER STANDARDIZATION CENTRAL LABORATORY FOR IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS TESTING NEW TECHNOLOGIES APPLICATIONS EXPERIMENTAL FARM TECHNOLOGY WATCH OTHER PROJECTS

5. Context And Activities • Supported by government (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment) • Grant for irrigation networks modernization • Collaboration with manufacturers and users (test and development) • Research into irrigation equipment applications • Training: Participation in the training programs carried out at CENTER. • Support for and participation in the national and international committees and working groups

6. Objectives • Encourage and promote water efficiency and sustainable managementof water-energy-irrigation. • Encourage the use ofalternative energies and rationalization energy consumption. • Promote and encourage the use of best practices forsustainable irrigated agriculture that respects the environment. • Analyze and promote use for irrigation of non-conventional water resources: recycle water, desalination water and other sources. • Study the impact, vulnerability andadaptation of the irrigation sector to climate change. • Be an applied research centre, development, testing, standardization and innovation in advanced technologies for irrigation. • Consolidate as atraining centre, training, technology and Knowledge transferof national and international reference. • Promote and conductinternational cooperationfor development in irrigation and rural development (INITL…)

7. Analysi s I nterna l Strengths Weaknesses • Development of the irrigation technologies in Spain. • Agreement with the public company Tragsa to achieve the objectives. • High capacity to react inter-administrative nationally and internationally. • Wide view of the sector's problems. • High participation and recognition in national and international organizations (ISO, CEN, ENTAM, AENOR, etc..). • Impartiality and quality (test process, standardization and technology transfer). • Quality Management according to the standard ISO 17025. • Experience and presence in standardization of equipment and irrigation systems at national and international levels. • Collaborative projects on innovation and testing with universities, research centers, enterprises and other public entities. • Lack of a Strategic Plan in the medium term. • Accused distortions and lack of coordination between government budgets, the strategies and the innovation projects. • Restrictions outside the organization CENTER, threatening the continuity of leadership of Spain internationally. • Little use of resources and expertise available in the CENTER by public entities involved in the framework of the Convention. • Lack of regulation of relations and collaborations with entities public and private (AENOR, etc..). • Physical space requirements and new test rigs (resistance materials, suction cups, solenoids, etc..) And improvement of existing ones. • Inadequate environmental conditions for some tests. • Lack of tools to facilitate the management tasks of standardization (standard databases and experts, etc..). • Lack of training tools and online distribution, to meet the increasing demand. Enviromental Opportunities Threats • Serve the new needs of knowledge of government. • New demands for irrigation technology companies (development, certification and marketing). • The CENTER as an entity capable of facilitating the structuring of a very fragmented sector like irrigation. • Continue transferring knowledge and technologies for develop the sector. • there is not enough development in management of competitive intelligence and technology watch.New irrigation sector demands regulation and standardization of equipment and irrigation systems. • Increasing market requirements on the quality of products. • No capacity to test all equipments at national level. Increasing difficulty of access to knowledge by administrations. Excess of information on the web. Loss of dynamism, competitiveness and leadership over other entities (platforms, technology centers and companies). Absence of a clear definition of the role of processes and CENTER in R & D + i. The continued budget cuts could endanger the viability. Services provided by the laboratory can be made by private business. • Development of the irrigation technologies. • High capacity to react inter-administrative nationally and internationally. • Wide view of the sector's problems. • Impartiality and quality (test process, standardization and technology transfer). • Accused distortions and lack of coordination between government budgets, the strategies and the innovation projects. • Lack of tools to facilitate the management tasks of standardization (standard databases and experts, etc..). • Lack of training tools and online distribution, to meet the increasing demand. Opportunities • Serve the new needs of knowledge of government. • New demands for irrigation technology companies (development, certification and marketing). • Continue transferring knowledge and technologies for develop the sector. • there is not enough development in management of competitive intelligence and technology watch. • New irrigation sector demands regulation and standardization of equipment and irrigation systems. • Increasing market requirements on the quality of products. • No capacity to test all equipments at national level. Threats Increasing difficulty of access to knowledge by administrations. Excess of information on the web. Loss of dynamism, competitiveness and leadership over other entities (platforms, technology centers and companies). The continued budget cuts could endanger the viability. Services provided by the laboratory can be made by private business.

8. Test Benches • Sprinklers • Emitters and Emitting Pipes • Sprayers • Meters • Head Loss and Regulating Valves • Hydrostatic Pressure • Durability Test Benches • Remote Control • Training Benches

9. Training Benches Sprayers Sprinklers Meters Hydrostatic Pressure Emitters Durability Valves Remote Control Equipment Testing Sprinklers

10. Partnerships (National e International) • Collaboration with manufacturers and users, to research, develop and keep the quality of their products and the irrigation networks • Member and close contact with European associations and laboratories (for example, ENTAM) • Close collaborations with Spanish companies • Close collaborations with Spanish Universities (improving products, development testing benches and tests, training people and students)

11. Research &Development • Develop R&D projects in collaborations with irrigations companies, manufacturers, universities and research centres • CENTER – TRAGSA: Singular Equipments • CENTER – TRAGSA – Aula DEI – Manufacturers: Remote Monitoring and Control Technology • Develop new Benches and test to characterise new equipments • Examples (Air Valves Bench, Electro-Valves Bench, Head loss in emitters pipes bench..)

12. Problems Encountered • Equipments quality • Long-term properties and long-term use • Maintenance • Test the actual needs • Certification of equipments

13. AENOR CEN ISO TC23/SC18 “Irrigation and drainage equipment and systems” CTN68/SC2 “irrigation” TC334 “Irrigation Techniques” WG8 Remote Monitoring and Control Technology AHG Sprayers AHG Meters for Irrigation Water Experts in others WG SC2 Presidencies and secretaries WG Secretaries (8) TC334 Presidencies and secretaries (AENOR) WG5 Coordination and Secretaries WG9 Coordination and Secretaries Experts in others WG Perception of Standardization

14. UNE-EN-ISO/IEC 17.025 standard (“General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”). Continuous work of calibration: Guarantees the precision of the measurements recorded. Quality System

15. Observed and wished evolution • Collaboration inter-laboratories and governments • Trying to promote the certification of equipment in order to ensure the quality

16. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! OBRIGADO Alejandro Sánchez de Ribera González National Centre for Irrigation Technology Central Laboratory for Irrigation Equipment and Materials Testing E-mail: asanche4@tragsa.es Tel: +34 913 47 93 04 www.center.es