The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía has formalized the first specific agreements for the Andalusian Irrigation Modernization Plan (Plan RegadíA). These agreements, signed with eleven irrigation communities across six Andalusian provinces, mobilize a total investment of 138 million euros. The actions will benefit more than 100,000 hectares and a total of 14,500 irrigators.
Minister Ramón Fernández-Pacheco explained that the distribution of projects was not based on provincial criteria but on proposals submitted by each irrigation community. "The result emerged this way, it could have been from eight provinces or just four," he stated.
The Secretary of State for Agriculture, Begoña García Bernal, detailed that similar projects have enabled irrigation communities to achieve energy savings of between 60% and 70%, representing a significant reduction in production costs. Regarding water usage, an efficiency improvement of between 20% and 30% is estimated.
The planned works are divided into two main lines: energy efficiency, primarily through photovoltaic solar plants, and modernization of water infrastructure, including the construction and improvement of storage reservoirs, replacement of distribution networks, irrigation automation, and remote control systems. In some cases, the use of non-conventional water, such as treated wastewater or desalinated water, is considered.
The project with the largest budget is for the Genil-Cabra Irrigation Community, amounting to 32 million euros. The Sapo Reservoir in Almería will serve 4,100 farmers, making it the project with the greatest benefit per irrigator. The Lower Guadalquivir Irrigation Community in Seville will modernize the largest area, with 41,727 hectares.
Execution timelines will vary depending on the type of work; energy efficiency projects are faster than reservoir construction. All projects must obtain an environmental impact assessment from the Ministry of Ecological Transition before being tendered by SEIASA. Similar projects in other regions have required between 12 and 24 months of work.
The financing of the 138 million euros is distributed as follows: 50% by the Junta de Andalucía (FEADER funds), 20% through SEIASA, and the remaining 30% contributed by the irrigation communities themselves.
