Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain)
During the last three decades, like many other Mediterranean states, Spain has intensively promoted the modernization of irrigation, focusing mainly on the introduction of pressurized irrigation systems. Following 30 years of investment, a shift in irrigation policies is needed to solve some of the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/4/317 |
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| author | Carles Sanchis-Ibor Mar Ortega-Reig Amanda Guillem-García Juan M. Carricondo Juan Manzano-Juárez Marta García-Mollá Álvaro Royuela |
| author_facet | Carles Sanchis-Ibor Mar Ortega-Reig Amanda Guillem-García Juan M. Carricondo Juan Manzano-Juárez Marta García-Mollá Álvaro Royuela |
| author_sort | Carles Sanchis-Ibor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | During the last three decades, like many other Mediterranean states, Spain has intensively promoted the modernization of irrigation, focusing mainly on the introduction of pressurized irrigation systems. Following 30 years of investment, a shift in irrigation policies is needed to solve some of the deficiencies in this modernization process and to incorporate new measures to cope with upcoming challenges generated by international markets, climate change and other social and economic processes. This paper describes and analyses the results of participatory research carried out with the water user associations in the autonomous region of Valencia, in order to define post-modernization irrigation policies. A survey and 24 local workshops involving 304 water user associations were conducted during the irrigation season of 2018 in order to form an assessment of the sector and design new irrigation policies. The results show that after 30 years of important investment, the obsolescence of the infrastructure has become the current main priority, making farmers dependent on public subsidies. New necessities have also emerged, such as renewable energies and nonconventional water resources, which farmers consider indispensable in order to reduce operating costs and guarantee water supply. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:37:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eaa157c056704e3b9661706dbca1ce21 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:37:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-eaa157c056704e3b9661706dbca1ce212023-11-21T14:13:00ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-04-0111431710.3390/agriculture11040317Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain)Carles Sanchis-Ibor0Mar Ortega-Reig1Amanda Guillem-García2Juan M. Carricondo3Juan Manzano-Juárez4Marta García-Mollá5Álvaro Royuela6Centro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainCentro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainCentro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainCentro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainCentro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainCentro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainCentro Valenciano de Estudios del Riego, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, SpainDuring the last three decades, like many other Mediterranean states, Spain has intensively promoted the modernization of irrigation, focusing mainly on the introduction of pressurized irrigation systems. Following 30 years of investment, a shift in irrigation policies is needed to solve some of the deficiencies in this modernization process and to incorporate new measures to cope with upcoming challenges generated by international markets, climate change and other social and economic processes. This paper describes and analyses the results of participatory research carried out with the water user associations in the autonomous region of Valencia, in order to define post-modernization irrigation policies. A survey and 24 local workshops involving 304 water user associations were conducted during the irrigation season of 2018 in order to form an assessment of the sector and design new irrigation policies. The results show that after 30 years of important investment, the obsolescence of the infrastructure has become the current main priority, making farmers dependent on public subsidies. New necessities have also emerged, such as renewable energies and nonconventional water resources, which farmers consider indispensable in order to reduce operating costs and guarantee water supply.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/4/317irrigation modernizationirrigation policydrip irrigationintegrated water resources managementinfrastructure obsolescence |
| spellingShingle | Carles Sanchis-Ibor Mar Ortega-Reig Amanda Guillem-García Juan M. Carricondo Juan Manzano-Juárez Marta García-Mollá Álvaro Royuela Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain) Agriculture irrigation modernization irrigation policy drip irrigation integrated water resources management infrastructure obsolescence |
| title | Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain) |
| title_full | Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain) |
| title_fullStr | Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain) |
| title_short | Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain) |
| title_sort | irrigation post modernization farmers envisioning irrigation policy in the region of valencia spain |
| topic | irrigation modernization irrigation policy drip irrigation integrated water resources management infrastructure obsolescence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/4/317 |
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