NEWS FROM SYNAA : virtual general assembly held on 3rd December 2020

This General Assembly gave us all an opportunity to review the year 2020, a very specific year, bearing in mind the health crisis that we have been experiencing for almost a year.

This General Assembly gave us all an opportunity to review the year 2020, a very specific year, bearing in mind the health crisis that we have been experiencing for almost a year.

During these months of uncertainty, we have endeavoured to support our members and provide information about Covid 19; in particular by sending out a mail explaining the position adopted by the National Union of Landscape Contractors (UNEP/NULC) and a document from the chamber of commerce about restarting work. We have also created a WhatsApp group to discuss all our common problems and issues, the continuation of operations, etc., these discussions being important for maintaining morale during these uncertain times.

Furthermore, this general assembly allowed us to take a look at the progress of Synaa’s different working groups.

The updating of the Irrigation Handbook hasn’t progressed much this year, but we will be taking this up again soon, and the hosting of a UNEP/NULC irrigation webinar.

• Employment – training: strategy of collaborating with the irrigation training centres and redesigning the specialist certificate in integrated irrigation courses, which will now be called “Automatic irrigation: green spaces and sports fields”. And a new partnership with Expert’o.

• Research and Development: establishing a new methodology for highlighting the advantages of automatic irrigation. A research project carried out by INRAE (French public research institution that focuses on issues related to agriculture, food and the environment) into the recycling of grey water and urine for the irrigation of green spaces in the city.

• Communication: social networking, communicating with the members, organising conferences, creating a WhatsApp group.

Qualification and certificates: creation of a Qualipaysage irrigation proficiency certificate

As far as the events are concerned, the Synaa conference, which should have been held in Strasbourg in December, has been rescheduled for 2022 because of the health crisis. It will take place in the last week of November or the first week of December 2022, during the famous Strasbourg Christmas Market.

However, prior to this, the Paysalia show will be held from 30th November to 2nd December 2021, with an irrigation village covering 1,027 m2, this being even larger than previous shows, and of course there will be the Synaa stand where we will be ready to welcome all of you. Two evening events will be organised for the show, one on the opening day after our general assembly, and a second one a little later.

Finally, this general assembly has also given all members the opportunity to give their comments and views on how the Covid 19 crisis has affected their business. It has transpired that most of the members have managed to keep their business going in 2020 (64%), but the French installers are worried about 2021.