Veolia Romania partners with Holde Agri Invest to develop sustainable agricultural water management solutions

Veolia Romania Integrated Solutions (VRIS), a member company of Veolia Romania and a provider of water, sewage, and thermal energy system operation, maintenance, and management services, has entered into a partnership with Holde Agri Invest (HOLDE), an entrepreneurial company engaged in agricultural land exploitation, listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The purpose of this collaboration, as stipulated in a memorandum of understanding, is to develop innovative solutions essential for sustainable modern agriculture. This will be achieved by creating models and methodologies to optimize water management for irrigation alternatives, aiming to enhance agricultural production’s qualitative and quantitative aspects.

Sustainable agriculture, as an integral component of sustainable development, demands effective management of water and soil resources, entailing a comprehensive understanding of the water footprint within agricultural regions, aligned with the societal values they can and should uphold. This is with the ultimate goal of enhancing productivity and fostering the growth of a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

The Memorandum of Collaboration concluded with Holde Agri Invest establishes two key directions for the development of resilient solutions essential for sustainable agriculture, tailored to current climate and economic realities. The first direction entails innovation in water resource management for agriculture, involving the identification of solutions customized to the needs of efficiently managing water resources within agricultural crops. This includes water reuse, avoiding excessive extraction from conventional sources, energy conservation in irrigation systems, and minimizing environmental impact. The second direction involves the establishment of a multidisciplinary expertise center, a hub of specialists, to develop complex and scalable irrigation projects that can subsequently be replicated on a broader scale.

“The revitalization of agricultural soil through the provision of sustainable solutions is one of Veolia’s objectives as it has defined its mission to become a champion of Ecological Transformation. Our experience and expertise enable us to identify and develop tailored solutions for dynamic and innovation-minded partners, aiming for sustainable water management and improved agricultural productivity. The heightened climatic volatility and pressure on surface water sources demand modern ideas and models to address new challenges. In synergy with our historical competencies, we support partners and communities in managing, optimizing, and developing water, material, and energy resources, leading toward new agricultural production systems adapted to contemporary times and responsibilities toward future generations. This marks the beginning of a journey in which we aspire to design a new approach for sustainable water use in agriculture, which may also serve as a national-level alternative”, said Mădălin Mihailovici, CEO of Veolia Romania.

Combining the expertise of the two companies in the field of water and energy resources management as well as in the agricultural sector will lead to the development of applied irrigation projects, with a clear purpose of increasing the quantity and quality of agricultural production and ensuring resilience to climate challenges.

”At Holde, sustainability and resource efficiency are at the heart of everything. We consider water one of the most essential resources for modern, sustainable agriculture, and our farms’ efficient use of irrigation systems is vital. Signing this memorandum with Veolia, a world leader in providing essential solutions to successfully address contemporary challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and the challenges associated with urbanization and digitazation, will allow us to take concrete steps toward future-proof agriculture”, said Liviu Zăgan, Managing Director of Holde Agri Invest.