Towards sustainable irrigated Mediterranean agriculture: implications for water conservation in semi-arid environments

Abstract

Water scarcity is a threat to food production systems, with appropriate water management being a major part of the solution. From the adoption of the European Water Framework Directive to the latest proposals for the Common Agricultural Policy Horizon 2020, the strategic lines for establishing a balance between agriculture and water resources in the European Union have been defined, including an emphasis on water pricing. This paper discusses the situation of irrigated agriculture in semi-arid areas such as southern Spain in terms of water scarcity, highlighting the main advantages and disadvantages of water-pricing policies as a solution to more sustainable irrigation management.

Keywords:

• water policy
• food security
• water-use efficiency
• water prices
• Spain

Acknowledgements

The research work that led to this publication was sponsored by the European project Campus EAgUa (POCTEFEX 0072_CAMPUSEAGUA_2_E) funded by the EU and cofinanced by FEDER funds. Author I.F. García-Tejero received a contract cofinanced by the European Social Fund Operational Programme (FSE) 2007–2013, Andalucía Is Moving with Europe.