Working out irrigation under water scarcity and drought

The Guadalquivir Basin (southern Spain) is experiencing one of the driest periods in the last 30 years. Since 2013, the water resources have been declining as there have been many years with less than average rainfall, which could jeopardise most of the irrigated agriculture in the region by the summer of 2022. To deal with drought, it is necessary to work in a coordinated manner with all stakeholders, at the level of farmers, water users associations, and public administrations, involving long-term planning. From their own experience, they tell us how to cope with this environmental hazard at different scales.

With the participation of:

• M. Ascensión Carmona, Head-manager of the Genil-Cabra Water Users Association, Spain;
• Luis Funes, Farmer of the Genil-Cabra Irrigation Scheme, Spain;
• Blas Palma, Farmer of the Genil-Cabra Irrigation Scheme, Spain; and
• Francisco Orgaz. Researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, CSIC, Spain.