21/09/2005 – A new study
by WWF has revealed that the impacts of the
severe drought that has afflicted Spain for
the past several months are being exacerbated
by the overproduction of irrigated crops.
WWF is calling for changes in the CAP to ensure
better use of water in agriculture.
Although the Common Agricultural Policy sets
quotas for the production of crops, farmers
regularly grow produce above and beyond these
quotas. WWF Spain found that the excess production
of just four irrigated crops (maize, cotton,
rice and alfalfa) is using 1,000 hm3 water
per year - equivalent to the annual domestic
consumption of over 16 million people. To
avoid flooding the market and thereby lowering
the price of certain fruits and vegetables
like strawberries, farmers routinely withdraw
the excess from the market, and, for certain
crops, receive subsidies from the CAP as compensation
for the lost income.
The subsidies have also lead to many farmers
irrigating crops which do not need watering,
such as olives and vines; 200,000 ha of olives
in the Guadalquivir river basin are now irrigated,
turning the traditionally ‘dry’ crop into
the main water user in the region. The water
used often comes from illegally dug boreholes;
WWF estimates that more than 500,000 hectares
of farmland are illegally irrigated in Spain.
"The lack of water isn’t just bad for
people – it’s bad for nature. Spain is home
to some of Europe’s most important wetlands,
including the Doñana National Park,
home to numerous rare species of bird, as
well as some of the world’s last remaining
Iberian lynx." said Guido Schmidt, Freshwater
Programme Coordinator at WWF Spain. "In
recent years, water levels in the Park have
dropped due to the overexploitation of groundwater
by rice and strawberry farmers, and in consequence
the water level in the rivers and lagoons
is decreasing."
The report was launched to coincide with
an EU-sponsored conference in London where
a range of experts will discuss how the Common
Agricultural Policy can contribute to achieving
the aims of the Water Framework Directive.
Currently the environmental rules which farmers
must adhere to to receive CAP subsidies do
not cover water use, giving farmers little
incentive to curb their excess consumption.
WWF would like to see greater regulation of
water use in agriculture, for example by withdrawing
subsidies from farmers who irrigate illegally,
and preventing EU funds from being used for
large-scale irrigation schemes.
Notes to Editors
• The data for water use were calculated based
on what was grown in the agricultural year
2004, and on the water needs of the plants
concerned as set down by the Hydrographic
Confederations.
• The average consumption by an inhabitant
of Spain is 167 litres/day.
• The full report is available in English
and Spanish
