From 23 to 25 April 2025 the Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander (UFPS) in Cúcuta, Colombia, hosted the IV Congreso Internacional de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y del Ambiente under the banner “Oportunidades y desafíos para un futuro sostenible”.
More than 60 peer-reviewed papers and posters—including nine international contributions—were presented across agronomy, environmental engineering and biotechnology sessions.
Why PRIMA-SAFE was invited
Latin America’s tropical dry zones face freshwater shortages and rising irrigation demand—challenges that mirror those of the Mediterranean. The organisers therefore asked the PRIMA-SAFE consortium to showcase its integrated approach to safe wastewater reuse in agriculture.
The congress, which focused on “Opportunities and Challenges for a Sustainable Future,” gathered local and international experts to discuss sustainability in agriculture and the environment. Sapienza was invited to share insights from PRIMA-SAFE, particularly its work on modelling, optimisation, and the techno-economic evaluation of safe wastewater reuse in agriculture. In their presentation, the Sapienza team highlighted how process simulations and life-cycle assessments can guide decisions around water reuse, ensuring both environmental safety and cost-effectiveness. They also introduced decision-support tools developed within PRIMA-SAFE that help farmers and stakeholders choose suitable treatment systems based on risk and affordability. Sapienza’s participation opened avenues for collaboration with Latin American researchers facing similar water scarcity challenges, reinforcing the relevance and adaptability of PRIMA-SAFE’s approach beyond the Mediterranean context.