Among the signs that Italian farmers display on their tractors we have not seen any that claim the need for water. Yet in the countryside there is a shortage. It is no coincidence that the topic is on the agenda at Fieragricola in Verona and today it will be discussed in a conference with the Extraordinary Commissioner for the water emergency, Nicola Dell'Acqua.
For farmers, the availability of water on their farms is evidently not a priority compared to the taxes that the government has increased, uncultivated land, and environmental sustainability policies.
Water shortages are a historic national flaw in public services and the distribution system. The extraordinary commissioner says that it is wrong to talk about drought only in summer, as an aggravating cause. The problem is constant and reaches its peak in the Po Valley. “In the plain - said Dell'acqua - if it doesn't snow, we will have summer repercussions, because we are used to getting water from the melting of snow and glaciers, which however are increasingly fewer due to climate change".
In short, concrete and planned actions must start from the countryside without compromising the harvests. Made in Italy has a pillar in these actions for which, however, no solid foundations can be seen. In the Po basin there was also 50% less water than in previous years.
Heal but without rhetoric
The Destra Po reclamation consortium will spend 135 million euros for stem the crisis by 2026. Many protesting tractors come from that area but report no inconvenience. Perhaps because healing is part of the ecological transition.
We need reservoirs and recovery of the water that is lost in the pipes. How long have we been hearing these replies?
They are rhetorical exercises. 75% of irrigated agriculture is located in central Italy. A territory with quality agri-food production: can we go and save water in those areas? No, replies the Extraordinary Commissioner. So what to do?
They are there in the PNRR 3,95 billionwhich are however insufficient to revive the system. The projects are not all ready and in some cases they are not consistent with the emergencies.
The Water Commissioner has the powers to push the government to take note of the situation before the hot season. In fact, 2024 did not get off to a good start in terms of operations, despite no signs being displayed on the protesting tractors. When they return home they will remember it.