Suchergebnisse

This paper describes the history of the harmonisation of agricultural/biosystems engineering degree study programs in Europe from 1989, when the need for this process was widely felt, until now, when this need was partly satisfied through the implementation of the projects of two EU funded thematic networks, i.e., USAEE-TN and ERABEE-TN. The objective of this paper is to contribute to promote, in each EU country and elsewhere, the process of harmonisation of agricultural/biosystems engineering degree study programs, and student and graduate mobility within the EU, as well as between the EU and the USA. At present, in Europe, this harmonisation process is aided by the key results of the projects of USAEE-TN, ERABEE-TN and POMSEBES. USAEE developed some core curricula, to be used as benchmarks for European agricultural/biosystems engineering degree study programs, and a web-based database of these study programs. ERABEE promoted the transition from agricultural engineering to biosystems engineering and established the recognition procedures of new European study programs in biosystems engineering. The EU-US POMSEBES consortium built up a platform for exchange of experiences and ideas between the USA and the EU, aimed at: enhancing the quality and linkage of research and education; establishing appropriate policy oriented measures; promoting compatible degree study programs in biosystems engineering, within the EU as well as between the EU and the USA.

The cadastral systems existing in EU Member States satisfy private and public needs but there is no common regulation describing the purposes, minimum requirements and functions of the Cadastre in each State. In order to satisfy the need for harmonisation of Cadastres at the EU level, the Spanish Government's Official Performance Programme of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council supported, in the first semester of 2002, the initiative proposed by the Spanish General Directorate for the Cadastre to hold the "First Congress on Cadastre in the European Union" (15-17 May 2002). The main objective of this conference was to study the role of the Cadastre at EU level and the methods for the integration of national models. For this purpose the Spanish General Directorate also presented two specific initiatives : 1) the project for a "Declaration on Cadastre in the European Union"; 2) the formation of a Cadastre Permanent Committee. A unique Cadastre at EU level would allow that the CAP (Community Agricultural Policy) is implemented by considering the best practices of the land owners. Moreover, the basic taxation principles and coordination of property taxation are shown in this paper. In the long term, the free movement of people, goods and capital will induce that the EU harmonises or at least coordinates property regimes, Land Registry and Cadastre in the Member States. Cadastres enable to change the land from an object of utilisation into capital and thus economic growth (that is a prerequisite for investments in estate enhancement and/or environmental protection). This is an essential part of LIS (Land Information System) and GIS (Geographic Information System) systems, that provide information crucial to decision making. The new soil cadastral certificate, besides land use and capability, should also take into account the sustainability. The Ground Cadastre should be developed into a multipurpose Soil Cadastre, i.e. an inventory for environmental, social, economic, legal and taxation purposes.

Among the potential uses of cactus pear, the generation of bioenergy (biogas) and biofertiliser (digestate), from the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) of cladodes and fruits, is surveyed in this paper. Data for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) was drawn from a farm located in Roccapalumba (Palermo, Sicily, Italy), where three cultivars were cultivated: 1) yellow pulp cultivar; 2) red pulp cultivar; 3) white pulp cultivar. LCIA was applied to six scenarios: 1) current dry crop; 2) current irrigated crop; 3) dry crop for fruit and bioenergy production; 4) irrigated crop for fruit and bioenergy production; 5) dry crop for bioenergy production; 6) irrigated crop for bioenergy production. According to LCIA, the highest total GHG emissions were found in Scenarios 2 and 4, while the lowest ones were found in Scenario 5. Moreover, the highest share of environmental impact for Scenarios 2, 4 and 6 is associated with the consumption of cardboard boxes used for collecting and transporting fruits, crop irrigation and a higher human work load. Furthermore, the digestate obtained from the AD process contains nutrients which make it a valuable biofertiliser, so that it reduces the expenditure for mineral fertilisers.

The authors report the survey of some flowerbeds located in the city of Palermo with the aim of assessing the sustainability of the plants and the interventions to be implemented, i.e. cutting or transfer of plants, to achieve a sustainable green. In the case in which it is possible to insert other plants in the flowerbeds, it is recommended to elaborate a project using programs that allow to have a preview of the spaces available for the new plants. This work is methodological and is aimed at creating a green that can achieve the functional objectives in relation to the site where it is located (sustainability in all aspects) and at low management costs with no or almost no irrigation practice.

This work is aimed at evaluating the possible building up of a gasifier for the energy valorisation of residual biomass deriving from urban areas and their surroundings. The area and the volumes of supply and economic convenience have been determined by implementing a GIS-based geographic method to the localisation and quantification of non-uniform elements of plant biomass. The pyrolysis and gasification processes of the lignocellulosic biomass obtained from pruning and maintenance operations of the urban and ornamental green include the production of a residual amount of biochar. The biochar can be used in agriculture as a soil improver and a substrate alternative to peat in the sustainable production of Sicilian aromatic and nutraceutical species grown in pots within a circular economy.

Regions with high livestock density lack sufficient land on which to apply manure without exceeding the legal limits set by the European Union Directives. The lack of manure processing alternatives aggravates the situation, especially in the case of islands. Consequently, manure becomes a liability rather than an asset. Results indicate that pyrolysis is an option for manure processing. However, a significant limitation is the moisture content of the starting material, that could compromise the process efficiency. Yields of biogas, bio-oil and biochar, all of which have a potential use as biofuels, are particular to animal type and manure handling system. The conversion of manure to biofuels contributes to the development of a bio-based economy.