• Southern Copper Corporation and La Joya Mining are participating in the Open Innovation - InA project to find solutions to challenges in the agricultural sector.

Innovación Abierta - InA, an initiative of the Innova Arequipa project, is actively working to address ten challenges primarily related to field productivity and optimization of water usage. Eight agricultural companies and two mining companies participate in the project.

“We have outlined three components that we hope to achieve in the coming months, as we are already well advanced in many aspects. The first is to implement open innovation processes through challenges to create a methodological framework. The second is to create an open innovation network. And the third is to implement a digital platform that will allow us to manage and streamline any innovation process in the Arequipa region and even in the country," explained Efraín Mayhua López, leader of the InA project, during a presentation at the PERUMIN 36 event.

In this context, José Carlos Torres, social relations coordinator for the Tía María project of Southern Copper Corporation, pointed out that the issue they are working on is the excessive use of fertilizers and agrochemicals, as well as the exposure of agricultural residues in burning conditions in the Tambo Valley.

This has a negative impact on soil and air quality, and the excessive use of fertilizers increases production costs and reduces the profitability of crops for farmers.

“We hope that farmers in our area of influence, and even in other areas, who go on the digital platform will have the opportunity to access spaces and opportunities for the technological advancement of their agriculture, not only for large-scale agriculture but also for small producers," said Torres, underscoring the importance of creating a circular economy through the transformation of agricultural waste into biofertilizers or organic fertilizers.

On the other hand, Rubén Apaza Toro, project manager at La Joya Mining, a small mining company dedicated to the processing of gold and silver, said that the challenge  they are trying to overcome is the hardness of the water in the areas surrounding their operation in La Joya. This characteristic is even present in the wastewater of the San Camilo lagoon. Therefore, this water is not suitable for agriculture or any industrial use, even though it is treated.

“There is reverse osmosis equipment, but they require a better condition and much higher investment. We have found that there is even water from wells that farmers cannot use because of its characteristics. That is exactly the interaction we are looking for, to have an alternative use of water not only for us but also for human consumption and agricultural use," Apaza pointed out.

Apaza is excited about working with the InA project as they seek to sustainably source the water they need for their operations, which ranges from 50 - 150 m3 per day. They want to reuse the wastewater. He emphasized that the impact achieved will not only be productive, but also scalable for agriculture or other industries in the area.

It is worth mentioning that Innovación Abierta - InA allows participating companies to access expert advice in the industry, build connections and partnerships for joint innovation, establish commercial agreements, and achieve rapid prototyping of new products or solutions.