Towards sustainable irrigated Mediterranean agriculture: implications for water conservation in semi-arid environments |
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Authors: | Iván Francisco García-Tejero Víctor Hugo Durán-Zuazo José Luis Muriel-Fernández |
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Affiliation: | 1. Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera (IFAPA), Centro Las Torres-Tomejil, Alcalá del Río (Sevilla), Spainivanf.garcia@juntadeandalucia.es;3. Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera (IFAPA), Centro Las Torres-Tomejil, Alcalá del Río (Sevilla), Spain |
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Abstract: | Water scarcity is a threat to food production systems, with appropriate water management being a major part of the solution. From the adoption of the European Water Framework Directive to the latest proposals for the Common Agricultural Policy Horizon 2020, the strategic lines for establishing a balance between agriculture and water resources in the European Union have been defined, including an emphasis on water pricing. This paper discusses the situation of irrigated agriculture in semi-arid areas such as southern Spain in terms of water scarcity, highlighting the main advantages and disadvantages of water-pricing policies as a solution to more sustainable irrigation management. |
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Keywords: | water policy food security water-use efficiency water prices Spain |
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