ECO-RICE Project

The City Council of Valencia leads this initiative financed by the European Commission (LIFE Environment). Through it will try to demonstrate that economic performance can be drawn to the rice straw to be funded, at least in part, the costs of its withdrawal from the camps to avoid being burned.

In this way, farmers may change the traditional practice of straw burning, with more environmentally responsible, without generating an additional cost that reduces their profit margin.

This project fits into the line of action that the City of Valencia started years ago to balance human activities and conservation of natural values in the peri-urban environment protected. Natural Park L'Albufera is attracting many innovative projects for the very particular character of the area: high level of biodiversity, valuable ecosystems versus fragility stemming from its proximity to Spain's third city. There are many open fronts: reduction of light pollution in the Devesa, reclamation of sand dunes and other habitats degraded by past urban development plans, control of environmental conditions of the lake, raising awareness … there are several initiatives that the City has in place and that can convert Valencia into a model of coexistence of people and nature.

The City of Valencia coordinates ECO-RICE and is responsible for packing from straw fields.The project has other 7 members, each responsible for a task of the project. GREEN INNOVE The company is the partner responsible for distributing the rice straw and create a market that demands this product.

At the moment the project ECO-RICE is planning to distribute straw collection last season. This phase is called "DEMAN" of rice straw.

GREEN INNOVE has organized this event (which takes its name from the ancient ceremony in which the seats are allocated for hunting in the natural park) to spread the straw bales between companies that have shown interest in acquiring it. The procedure is similar to an auction. Interested in buying straw bales must submit bids indicating the purchase amount to buy, the price per kilogram being proposed (with a minimum of 0.04 euros / kg) and the application that you want to give to the product (livestock farming, mushroom cultivation, papermaking, building materials, plywood panels, compost, biofuels …)

The rice straw can be used in various applications. Accepted as of great bed and as fodder for livestock. Although its quality is lower than the straw of cereals such as wheat or barley, it is a valid alternative and complementary lower price in times of drought and scarcity.

The DEMAN will be held in facilities or GREEN INNOVE Technology Park in Paterna on March 15th, 2006 at 17h. Tenders which propose a higher price per kilogram will be the first to get application to eliminate the stocks. Payment is made directly to the company's partner project, which will reduce the grant to it in Europe. GREEN INNOVE help you in phone and email in any questions about the "DEMAN” of rice straw bales. 

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