Co-operative Bank System: The Spanish Case

In practically all European countries, co-operative credit societies have evolved towards a system which is comparable to other financial groups. This paper explores the recent evolution of Spanish credit co-operatives and especially rural savings banks. The creation of "Group Caja Rural" in 1989, has meant the greatest commitment to the integration of Spanish credit co-operatives in the face of the challenges of economic globalisation and the great changes in the national and international financial system. The running of this Group is through a vertebrate structure, in co-ordination and representation aspects as well as in operative functions.co-operative bank, credit system, financial groups, rural savings bank, Spain, Agricultural Finance, G21, Q13, Q14,

Evaluation in Carbon Dioxide Equivalent and CHG Emissions for Water and Energy Management in Water Users Associations. A Case Study in the Southeast of Spain

Agriculture is an activity linked to the environment and has a great influence on climate change. As more and more crops are producing in less time, agricultural production is intensified and water consumption and energy demand is increasing. Since the energy consumed is not renewable, greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted and their concentration in the atmosphere increases. The objective of this article is to apply various methodologies for the precise quantification of the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) and GHG emissions in the management of irrigation water and energy in ten water user’s associations (WUAs) in the southeast of Spain. All the studied WUAs include irrigation facilities. This paper is based on obtained data in different water and energy audits during 2017. The concept of “irrigation water management” considered in the article covers the process from its extraction through management data to its transport and application to crops through irrigation systems, as well as the reception of water. The way in which water and energy is used to irrigate crops is taken into account. Moreover, the type of energy used for irrigation and at what moment energy is demanded influence the total amount of generated GHG emissions. The tariff periods for electricity and the water needs of the crops planted also has to be taken into account, as well as the economic emissions valuatio

Use of solar energy and ITC to reduce the carbon footprint in irrigation systems. The case study on a semiarid zone (Pliego) in the southeast of Spain

Objectives: Due to the geographical characteristics and its irradiation index, the South of the European Union (EU) delimited by the Mediterranean Sea, is a perfect scenario for the employment of renewal energies. One of the applied fields where these energies can be used is the Agriculture. Moreover, Spain is the country of the EU with the highest number of annual sunshine hours. This allows obtaining a biggest efficiency in solar panel use. The work will be finished with a comparison of economic saving and return on investment after the implementation of photovoltaic energy in our study area. Additionally the reduction of the carbon footprint in this cases study according to the last Unit Nations Conference about Global Change will be analyzed. Methods: Firstly we need to know climatology, termal regime, agroclimatic traits, and precipitation regime, for it has been studied the water needs and available resources and the economical expenses of the electric consumptions of different sources. Secondly, the Co2 emissions generated with the existing operation have been valued. Third, the possible measures to be taken to reduce emissions are studied As a result of these data it is obtained that in our case the best alternative is the use of solar energy through the design of a photovoltaic system controlled by sensors and ICT that allows us to optimize this energy applied to the governance of water and enhancing the use of reclaimed water for agricultural production of high quality fruit. It should be noted that in semi‐arid areas of the Mediterranean we should not only think of fruit / agricultural plantations as primary means of production, but also as an ecological method of protection against climate change, particularly against desertification. In summary, this study seeks to collaborate to meet the three objectives of European policy within the Framework on Climate and Energy by 2030. Conclusions: the application of these measures means an annual reduction of 782.5 tons of CO2 eqv not discharged into the atmosphere. These methods of primary production, such as agriculture, must be integrated into sustainable technological development and their objective is to mitigate climate change and improve the uses of reclaimed wáter applied to agriculture

Designation of origin Alicante (Spain): a preliminary study for the introduction of enotourism

A necessidade de conseguir um desenvolvimento rural sustentável, que combine respeito ao meio ambiente com a geração de riqueza e a criação de novos postos de trabalho, leva as diferentes administrações públicas e empresas privadas a incentivar atividades paralelas e complementares das tradicionais nas zonas rurais. No presente trabalho apresentamos um estudo econométrico onde se avalia o potencial econômico da introdução da atividade de enoturismo numa área geográfica determinada, baseada numa denominação de origem (Alicante- Espanha). Para tal, fazemos a análise de como se está estruturando um movimento associativo que, tendo como base as tradicionais cooperativas vitivinícolas da região, possibilita a criação de novos segmentos de mercado para dar resposta à procura originada por esta incipiente atividade turística. Palavras-chave: Enoturismo - Desenvolvimento Rural - Cooperativas - Espanha.La necesidad de conseguir un desarrollo rural sostenible, que combine el respeto al medio ambiente con la generación de riqueza y la creación de nuevos puestos de trabajo, está llevando a las diferentes administraciones públicas y empresas privadas a estimular actividades paralelas y complementarias de las clásicas de las zonas rurales. En este trabajo presentamos un estudio econométrico donde se evalúa la potencialidad económica de la introducción de la actividad de enoturismo en un área geográfica determinada, basada en una denominación de origen (Alicante - España). Para ello, analizamos cómo se está vertebrando un movimiento asociativo que, teniendo como base las tradicionales cooperativas vitivinícolas de la zona, está posibilitando la creación de nuevos segmentos de mercado para dar respuesta a la demanda originada por esta incipiente actividad turística. Palabras clave: Enoturismo - Desarrollo Rural - Cooperativas - España.The need to obtain sustainable rural development, which combines respect for the environment with the generation of wealth and the creation of jobs, is leading various public and private administrations and companies to promote activities which are parallel and complementary to the traditional activities of the rural areas. This work presents an econometric study which evaluates the economic potential of the introduction of the activity of enotourism (wine tourism) in the geographic area of Alicante (Spain) as a designation of origin. For this, it analyzes the structure of an associative movement based on the traditional wine producing cooperatives in this area, enabling the creation of new market sectors in response to the demand based on this emerging tourism activity. Key words: Enotourism - Rural Development – Cooperatives - Spain

Comparative Analysis of Primary and Secondary Metabolites in the Peel of Eight Blood Orange Varieties

The global cultivation of blood oranges is experiencing an increase due to their remarkable nutritional properties. Blood orange by-products, especially the peel, have a high concentration of bioactive compounds with exceptional antioxidant potential, making them an ideal choice for incorporation into various food products. This study aimed to determine the morphological parameters and primary and secondary metabolite content of peel of eight blood orange varieties using 1H NMR and HPLC-ESI-DAD-MSn. “Tarocco Meli” had the highest weight (367.83 g), caliber (94.13 mm and 88.87 mm), peel thickness (6.73 mm), and peel weight (155.0 g). “Tarocco Rosso”, “Sanguinelli”, and “Tarocco Gallo” had the highest levels of total amino acids (25.57 g kg−1 DW), total organic acids (29.99 g kg−1 DW), and total sugars (68.56 g 100 g−1 DW), respectively. The peel of “Moro” had significantly higher concentrations of total anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavones (650.67, 263.33, and 449.85 mg kg−1, respectively) compared to the other varieties. In conclusion, “Tarocco Meli” had the most interesting values for morphological parameters, “Tarocco Rosso”, “Sanguinelli”, and “Tarocco Gallo” for primary metabolites, and “Moro” for secondary metabolites. With the increasing interest in utilizing co-products, these findings could be useful in developing functional food products that meet consumer demands for healthier and more sustainable food choice

Co-operative Bank System: The Spanish Case

In practically all European countries, co-operative credit societies have evolved towards a system which is comparable to other financial groups. This paper explores the recent evolution of Spanish credit co-operatives and especially rural savings banks. The creation of "Group Caja Rural" in 1989, has meant the greatest commitment to the integration of Spanish credit co-operatives in the face of the challenges of economic globalisation and the great changes in the national and international financial system. The running of this Group is through a vertebrate structure, in co-ordination and representation aspects as well as in operative functions

Resilience of Irrigated Agriculture to Face the Challenges in Mediterranean Climatic Conditions (Iberian Peninsula)

Climate change scenarios in Mediterranean basin point to a decrease in the amount of annual rainfall and the increased frequency of drought. In this framework of greater water scarcity, an increase in irrigation costs is expected, so its rational and efficient use is an unavoidable issue in modern irrigated agriculture. In the last 60 years in Portugal, it had a great increase in the efficiency of water use in agriculture, accompanied by a great increase in energy consumption, and the variation was 15,000 to 6000 m3/ha.year and 200 to 1500 kWh/ha, respectively. The rational application of fertilizers is a priority, to prevent the contamination of superficial and subterraneous waters, and the process of soil salinization in semi-arid conditions. The pressure of water demand by agriculture implies the use of other water sources. For example, in 2010, the volume of unconventional water resources in Spain rose to 4.540 hm3/year. Of the total used in agriculture, 450 hm3 of water comes from the reuse of treated water, and 690 hm3 comes from desalination. The use of modern/smart technologies in irrigated agriculture, like information and communication technologies, allows the rapid share of information between all the system components and can promote optimized answers at different scales.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

El crédito cooperativo y la financiación al desarrollo rural. Estudio aplicado a la comunidad valenciana en España / Cooperative credit and rural development funding. A study applied to the Valencian community in Spain

Las iniciativas empresariales que se llevan a cabo en el ámbito del desarrollo rural requieren de financiación especializada que no siempre es fácil de obtener. En este sentido, las entidades que con tuyen el crédito cooperativo rural (cajas rurales y secciones de crédito) desempeñan una función cla en la financiación de este tipo de iniciativas, dado que su actividad financiera se puede clasificar com de banca ética. Estas entidades tienen un peso significativo en determinados territorios de Espar como es el caso de la Comunidad Valenciana, El presente trabajo está basado en la investigación emp rica, el crédito cooperativo y la financiación al desarrollo rural en la Comunidad Valenciana en Españ investigación realizada en el 2011 a partir de fuentes estadisticas por el Grupo de Investigación d Instituto Universitario de Economia Social y Cooperativa UDESCOOP de la Universitat de València, dirigida a las cajas rurales y secciones de crédito de cooperativas agrarías de la Comunidad Valenciana en España, con el fin de analizar el papel que estas desempeñan en la financiación del desarrollo rural.https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=L-Y4V04AAAAJ&hl=cahttps://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1_jf7bAAAAA

Dos decenios de actividad universitaria en economía social, cooperativismo y emprendimiento desde el Instituto Universitario IUDESCOOP

Durante las últimas dos décadas, el Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Economía Social, Emprendimiento y Cooperativismo IUDESCOOP ha desarrollado una intensa actividad de promoción y avance de los modelos económicos que fomentan la igualdad social, la democracia, la solidaridad y la sostenibilidad. Fundado con unos valores y una visión clara, este centro ha cultivado un ambiente propicio para la investigación y la enseñanza en el ámbito de las cooperativas y la economía social. El IUDESCOOP, gracias a la implicación de las más de treinta personas que lo han impulsado, ha logrado consolidarse como un referente en la investigación sobre estas áreas cruciales, generando conocimientos relevantes que han influido en políticas públicas, legislaciones y estrategias empresariales orientadas hacia un enfoque más humano y participativo. Además, su compromiso con la docencia ha sido continuo, formando a profesionales y líderes comprometidos con la promoción de modelos económicos más justos y centrados en las personas. También ha fomentado colaboraciones interdisciplinarias y establecido alianzas estratégicas con otras universidades e instituciones académicas, organizaciones gubernamentales y entidades del ámbito de la economía social, consolidando así un legado de impacto positivo en la sociedad. Tras una necesaria introducción que relata la trayectoria de esta institución universitaria, la presente obra contiene más de treinta contribuciones versadas sobre temas muy diversos pero de plena actualidad, realizadas por miembros del IUDESCOOP, por otros profesores tanto de la Universitat de València como de otras universidades, así como personas, expertas y activistas de la economía social, tanto del sector cooperativo y de la economía social como de las administraciones públicas, que han tejido fuertes vínculos con el proyecto del IUDESCOOP. Todos ellos presentan en común la vocación por generar conocimiento para un futuro con mayor prosperidad inclusiva y sostenible.S5428000 Generalitat ValencianaDuring the last two decades, the University Institute of Research in Social Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Cooperativism (IUDESCOOP) has engaged in an intense promotion and advancement of economic models that foster social equality, democracy, solidarity, and sustainability. Founded with clear values and vision, this center has nurtured an environment conducive to research and education in the field of cooperatives and social economy. Thanks to the dedication of over thirty individuals who have driven its mission, IUDESCOOP has established itself as a reference in research on these crucial areas, generating relevant knowledge that has influenced public policies, legislations, and business strategies oriented towards a more humane and participatory approach. Additionally, its commitment to education has been continuous, shaping professionals and leaders dedicated to promoting fairer economic models focused on people. It has also encouraged interdisciplinary collaborations and formed strategic alliances with other universities, academic institutions, government organizations, and entities in the social economy domain, thus solidifying a legacy of positive impact on society. Following a necessary introduction narrating the trajectory of this university institution, this work comprises over thirty contributions covering diverse and highly relevant topics. These contributions are authored by members of IUDESCOOP, other professors from both the University of Valencia and other universities, as well as experts and activists in the social economy sector, including cooperatives, social economy, and public administrations. They all share a common commitment to generating knowledge for a future characterized by greater inclusive and sustainable prosperit