INTIA Living Lab - SPAIN
Name / Location | Navarre Region, Spain |
Lead Partner | Instituto Navarro de Tecnologías e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias (INTIA)  |
Agroecological Zone | Mediterranean–Continental transition |
Climate Type | Temperate Mediterranean with continental influence |
Legumes Tested |
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Cropping System Type | Diversified cereal–legume rotations with different weeding systems. |
Agroecological Practices Applied |
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Living Lab Board Composition | Farmers, advisors, researchers, regional authorities and agri-food stakeholders (10 members) |
Duration of Field Trials | 3 growing seasons |
Key Ecosystem Services Targeted |
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Overview
The Spanish Living Lab, coordinated by Instituto Navarro de Tecnologías e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias (INTIA), operates in the Navarre region, where cereal-based systems dominate and water availability is increasingly variable.
The Living Lab focuses on the integration of multiple grain legumes—faba bean, pea and chickpea—into diversified rotations. Emphasis is placed on combining legumes with mechanical weed management and direct seeding techniques to reduce chemical inputs while maintaining productivity.
By generating field-based evidence under Mediterranean–continental conditions, the Spanish LL supports CAP objectives related to crop diversification, pesticide reduction and sustainable soil management.
Main Challenges
Arable farming systems in northern Spain face a range of agronomic and environmental pressures:
- Simplified cereal-based rotations
- Increasing weed pressure and herbicide dependency
- Soil fertility declines in intensively managed systems
- Water stress and climate variability
- Economic uncertainty linked to input costs
These challenges limit the ecological performance and long-term sustainability of regional farming systems.
Legume-Based Response
Agroecological Strategy
The INTIA Living Lab promotes diversified legume integration through:
- Inclusion of multiple grain legume species in rotations
- Mechanical weed management as an alternative to herbicides
This integrated approach enhances ecosystem service delivery while supporting input reduction.
Cropping Systems Demonstrated
Indicative rotation schemes include:
- The Living Lab evaluates:
- Nitrogen fixation efficiency
- Yield stability and grain quality
- Weed community composition and suppression
- Soil fertility indicators
- Economic feasibility of diversified systems
Data collection follows harmonized VALERECO protocols to ensure comparability across Living Labs.
Demonstration & Co-Creation
The Spanish Living Lab operates as a structured multi-actor innovation platform engaging:
- Arable farmers experimenting with legume diversification
- Agronomic advisors supporting mechanical weed strategies
- Researchers conducting agronomic and ecological assessments
- Regional authorities contributing to CAP alignment
Demonstration of events and technical meetings allows stakeholders to assess performance under practical farming conditions and validate adoption pathways.
The evidence generated supports:
- Cost–benefit analysis of legume integration
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Calibration of the Decision Support System (DSS)
- Development of policy recommendations at regional and EU level
Expected Impact
The Spain (INTIA) Living Lab contributes to:
- Reduced reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers
- Improved soil fertility
- Enhanced resilience of Mediterranean–continental farming systems
- Strengthened economic sustainability of diversified rotations
By combining multiple grain legumes with innovative management practices, this Living Lab demonstrates scalable pathways towards sustainable intensification in Southern European arable systems.
