The Government has completed this Wednesday, before a notary, the purchase of the rural estate of Son Bordils, located in the municipal district of Inca, which will be dedicated to research and experimentation activities in the agricultural sphere.
The councillor for Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, has signed the purchase deed with the property owners in a notary’s office in Palma, for a price of 5.1 million euros, following prior authorization from the Consell de Govern.
As the Conselleria has detailed through a press release, the estate will be devoted to tasks of research, experimentation, and agricultural and livestock training through the Instituto de Investigación Formación Agroalimentaria y Pesquera de Baleares (Irfap).
With Son Bordils, the regional executive will have a stable site to carry out fieldwork, agronomic trials, and research projects tailored to the needs of the primary sector of the Islands.
Up to now, the IRFAP’s agricultural experimentation work was carried out in different spaces and dispersed facilities. The incorporation of Son Bordils will make it possible to concentrate several lines of work on a single estate designed specifically for this use, with land and facilities suitable for promoting agricultural and livestock research projects.
The Conselleria has emphasized that Son Bordils has agricultural areas and buildings linked to agricultural activity, as well as an electricity supply and an authorized borehole.
Likewise, the proximity to the Costitx wastewater treatment plant and to the Inca irrigation reservoir will make it easier to analyze the potential for using regenerated water for agricultural irrigation, an aspect considered key for the management of the sector’s water resources.
Among the main lines of work planned for the estate are the adaptation of crops to the archipelago’s climatic conditions and to the effects of climate change, improving efficiency in water consumption, analyzing new varieties and production systems, and preserving local varieties.
In the livestock farming sector, it is also planned that the estate host studies on feeding, reproduction, health, and animal welfare, as well as initiatives aimed at the conservation and analysis of the Islands’ native breeds.
In addition to the research side, the project includes earmarking Son Bordils for training and knowledge transfer to the agricultural sector. In this way, the estate will be able to host demonstration events, training activities, and practical trials aimed at farmers, livestock breeders, and other professionals.
Likewise, the door is opened to launching collaboration projects with universities, research centers, and agricultural professional organizations, with the aim of facilitating that the results of the studies are transferred effectively to agricultural and livestock farms.