Lisbon, Nov. 6, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal is losing more than €500 million per year by not investing in irrigation, according to Fenareg - the National Federation of Irrigators, which highlighted the importance of implementing the "Water that Unites" strategy.
According to Fenareg figures, Portugal is losing more than €500 million per year by not investing in irrigation, a figure based on standard agricultural production for each type of crop, said the Federation's president, José Núncio, in statements to Lusa.
"Irrigated crops produce 5.5 times more than rainfed crops. The area that is not converted to irrigation produces rainfed crops. What we are losing is the difference between what one hectare of irrigated land produces compared to one hectare of rainfed land," he said.
The federation therefore highlighted the importance of implementing the “Water that Unites” strategy, which contains nearly 300 measures aimed at the efficient management of water resources.
Fenareg recalled that, as part of this strategy, a survey of needs was carried out, estimating a total of 120,000 hectares of new areas with irrigation potential.
This strategy provides for investments exceeding €5 billion by 2030 and an equivalent amount in a second phase.
"After 10 years, the cost of not investing [in irrigation] would be equivalent to that of making the investments by 2030," said José Núncio.
Currently, irrigation accounts for 30% of the total figure of agricultural production and covers 17% of the Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA), or 633,000 hectares.
The “Water that Unites” strategy aims to expand the irrigated area to 20% of the UAA.
The federation said that political instability had not contributed to the implementation of this strategy, but considered that, at present, all the conditions are in place, with a stable majority and an approved state budget, for it to move forward.
"Irrigation is fundamental. We only need to look at agriculture in the Beja region before and after the Alqueva reservoir to see the impact it has. Irrigated agriculture is the industry of the interior," he pointed out.
On the other hand, José Núncio considered that the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) could have been better used for agriculture and that now "there is little to be done", given that it ends in 2026.
However, he noted that "the world does not end with the PRR" and that there are other funds that can be channelled, adding that the country is in a better economic situation.
The president of Fenareg also expressed concern about the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), given that the proposal on the table for the post-2027 period determines the end of the second pillar (rural development) of the CAP, leaving investment in the hands of the member states.
"There are different investment capacities in European countries. We cannot compare the investment capacity of the German government with that of the Portuguese government. [The proposal] moves towards the nationalisation of agricultural policies and does nothing to help the balance in Europe," he concluded.
Fenareg is organising the 16th Irrigation Conference, which is taking place today in Lisbon, dedicated to the theme "Irrigation: a look to the future".
This event will bring together national and international experts to discuss the future of water and irrigation in the context of the “Water that Unites” strategy and the reform of the CAP.
According to the federation, the conference brings together the managing entities of hydro-agricultural developments from across the country, which represent 98% of public collective irrigation.
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