Agrícola AASA held a fertigation seminar from December 3 to 5 with speakers from the Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) and ChileCarne, which highlighted the use of liquid swine effluents for sustainable agriculture.
The agricultural company AASA held the “Fertigation Seminar,” a meeting that brought together farmers from the Chilean localities of San Esteban, Melipilla, and Nancagua, alongside experts and authorities to explore sustainable and innovative solutions capable of transforming Chilean agriculture in the face of the challenges posed by climate change and production efficiency.
The event, which took place between December 3 and 5, focused on fertigation, a technique that combines irrigation and fertilization. This practice not only allows for a more efficient use of water and nutrients, but also reduces costs and improves soil quality, becoming a key solution for more efficient agriculture.
Agrícola AASA has successfully integrated this technique into its local operations, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable model. Joelsi Vásquez, agricultural engineer and Head of Agronomic Management and Biofertilization at AASA, who coordinated the event, explained that “to scale up the use of pig slurry digestate in large-scale agriculture, we are implementing a comprehensive approach based on technological innovation and intersectoral partnerships. AASA is adopting advanced technologies to improve the digestate quality, making it more efficient as a fertilizer. A key example is the development of technologies to incorporate it into drip-watering systems, making it easier to use in high-value crops and optimizing large-scale application.” Vásquez added that this method is designed to strengthen circular economy and promote a more efficient and responsible agriculture.
The event explored the multiple benefits of liquid swine effluents as part of a circular economy model. This approach has proven to be an effective tool for recycling essential nutrients and enriching soils with organic matter, benefiting both the environment and farmers. Daniela Álvarez, ChileCarne’s Sustainability Manager, explained how these practices are in line with the association’s efforts to promote more responsible agriculture. “At ChileCarne we believe that the use of digestates, slurry, and solid manure is not just a globally validated practice, but it is also essential to move towards a more sustainable agriculture. By recycling scarce nutrients and enriching our soils with organic matter, we not only improve crop production, but also contribute to a circular economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Álvarez said.
Scientific analysis of digestates allowed participants to understand their positive impact on soil health and agricultural productivity. This biofertilizer promotes beneficial biological cycles and improves crop resilience to climate change, according to experts.
Juan Hirzel, INIA researcher, highlighted that: “In the long term, the sustainability of national and international agriculture will depend on carbon-rich inputs such as organic amendments, which will allow increasing the yield potential of crops and also reducing fertilization and management costs. Using digestates will be a low-cost, highly availability organic amendment and nutrient source, associated with the growing pork industry. This will increase the beneficial biological activity of the soil, promote virtuous cycles between roots and beneficial soil microorganisms, and also improve the health and productivity of crops.” Hirzel also underscored the importance of educating farmers through training and technical mentoring: “To educate practitioners and farmers on the correct and responsible use of organic amendments such as digestates, we need training, dissemination of technical documents, and appropriate nutrient doses. This is key to protect the soil-plant-atmosphere relationship and environmental health, preventing excess nutrients from becoming potential pollutants.”
The economic impact of digestate was another key topic of the seminar. Alejandro Gebauer, AASA’s Head of Management and Projects, offered a detailed perspective on the circularity of this resource. He explained that digestates come from pig slurry, which in turn is almost entirely composed of plant products, closing a cycle that safely and efficiently returns these nutrients to the field. According to Valenzuela: “Pig slurry is made up of almost 100% plant products, so in a way we are producing circularity by recirculating these plant products back into the field, which is where they came from. That is why I like to emphasize that products used in pork production are harmless and will not cause problems with the soil. Unlike imported chemical fertilizers, which have a high carbon footprint and are often applied at the wrong time, digestate offers liquid fertilization that can be applied when the plant really needs it. This not only improves nutrient use efficiency, but also significantly reduces costs for farmers and reduces the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector.”
With an innovative approach and sustainability at its core, AASA’s Fertigation Seminar was an excellent opportunity to promote technological innovation and sustainability in Chilean agriculture, bringing together leading experts to discuss this relevant topic for the production sector. The event addressed the challenges and opportunities facing Chilean agriculture from various perspectives, highlighting the importance of public-private collaboration.
These types of meetings are crucial to strengthen the productive sector and the relationships between ChileCarne member companies and public and technical officials, as they promote solutions that not only benefit the industry, but also support the development of agricultural communities and reinforce Chile’s commitment to sustainability.
