Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Andreas N. Angelakis
  • Mohammad Valipour
  • Jörg Dietrich
  • Konstantinos Voudouris
  • Rohitashw Kumar
  • Miquel Salgot
  • Seyed Ali Mahmoudian
  • Anatoli Rontogianni
  • Tsoutsos Theocharis

External Research Organisations

  • Hellenic Agricultural Organisation (HAO-DEMETER)
  • Hellenic Union of Municipal Enterprises for Water Supply and Sewage (EDEYA)
  • Kentucky State University (KSU)
  • Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.U.Th.)
  • Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir
  • Universitat de Barcelona
  • National Water and Wastewater Engineering Company (NWWEC)
  • Technical University of Crete
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number1621
JournalWater (Switzerland)
Volume14
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - 18 May 2022

Abstract

Nowadays, the reuse of built agricultural/industrial heritage has been a common practice worldwide. These structures represent excellent symbols of the great agricultural/industrial past. These agricultural/hydro-technologies also serve as monuments of socio-cultural identities, especially in rural areas and on small farms. One example of a successful application of agricultural technologies for small farms is the water mill. By harnessing the water energy, they were used for traditional flour and other goods production (e.g., olive oil) and works requiring energy, with the main role in the evolution of the traditional/cultural landscape. Water mills have been used to drive a mechanical process of milling, hammering, and rolling and are a portion of the agricultural, cultural, and industrial heritage. For approximately two millennia, the vertical mill water wheel prepared the initial source of mechanical power in many regions of the world. Water mills were the first device that converted natural resources of energy into mechanical energy in order to operate some form of machinery. The preservation/management of water mills is challenging due to their long-term abandonment and the lack of information/knowledge about their value. The other obstacles that are faced in their retrofitting and/or preservation are the lack of sufficient economic incentives and complex authorizations/legislations. Sustainability and regeneration of water mills through the centuries are then reviewed for history and agricultural/industrial “archaeology”. The history of water-powered mills in prehistoric and historic times, including ancient Persia/Iran, ancient China, ancient India, the Islamic world, Venetian Crete, medieval Europe, America, and finally present times, is discussed. The outcome of this review allows the understanding of the importance of conservation, optimization, and development of water mills. It will help to know more and achieve sustainable/regenerative development for small farms with respect to water and energy crises at present and in the future.

Keywords

    agricultural technologies, ancient Wmachines, clean energy, hydro-power, regenerative agriculture, small farms, sustainable development, water history 2 of 26, water mill

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Research Area (based on ÖFOS 2012)

Sustainable Development Goals

Cite this

Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms. / Angelakis, Andreas N.; Valipour, Mohammad; Dietrich, Jörg et al.
In: Water (Switzerland), Vol. 14, No. 10, 1621, 18.05.2022.

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleResearchpeer review

Angelakis, AN, Valipour, M, Dietrich, J, Voudouris, K, Kumar, R, Salgot, M, Mahmoudian, SA, Rontogianni, A & Theocharis, T 2022, 'Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms', Water (Switzerland), vol. 14, no. 10, 1621. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14101621
Angelakis, A. N., Valipour, M., Dietrich, J., Voudouris, K., Kumar, R., Salgot, M., Mahmoudian, S. A., Rontogianni, A., & Theocharis, T. (2022). Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms. Water (Switzerland), 14(10), Article 1621. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14101621
Angelakis AN, Valipour M, Dietrich J, Voudouris K, Kumar R, Salgot M et al. Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms. Water (Switzerland). 2022 May 18;14(10):1621. doi: 10.3390/w14101621
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AU - Angelakis, Andreas N.

AU - Valipour, Mohammad

AU - Dietrich, Jörg

AU - Voudouris, Konstantinos

AU - Kumar, Rohitashw

AU - Salgot, Miquel

AU - Mahmoudian, Seyed Ali

AU - Rontogianni, Anatoli

AU - Theocharis, Tsoutsos

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