Let me continue to think aloud about the current Government’s position with regard to agriculture and society in general in the Spanish Levant.
We all know that Levante agriculture is part of a strong and sustainable primary sector in our country, which contributes 110,000 direct jobs and more than 3.013 million to the national GDP.
In the current situation marked by a two-year pandemic, a war on our continent, various supply and energy crises stemming from the previous two, we have a volcanic eruption, floods and historical snowfalls and a long etc. Of the misfortunes that have plagued us for a while… Can we really do without our agri-food industry in this country? Do we prefer to have an open sector that demands aid and subsidies to mitigate the effects of its shutdown, the sector is already consolidated, sustainable and efficient, innovative and proactive Do we prefer to be dependent on third countries when it comes to supplying ourselves with fruit and vegetables?
The 2030 Agenda advocates for the revitalization of our rural environment and confronting the demographic challenge as one of the country’s eight challenges. The Plan to improve irrigation efficiency and sustainability states in its Axis 1.20: irrigation is a strategic sector because its production is a guarantee of minimal food supply to the population.
The same Plan also includes the advantages of the modernization system that has been established for several years in Levante by the investment effort of its farmers. In economic terms, it accepts that it provides a multiplier effect on the economy and is the engine of development by creating wealth. Socially, it is the backbone of the region: it allows the population to settle in the rural environment, thus reducing the rate of depopulation. Likewise, it improves the quality of life in rural areas, and the capacity to create direct and indirect jobs triples that of dry land on average. It creates employment with higher vocational qualifications and facilitates the participation of young people in the labor market. Finally, it stimulates the economy, because in irrigated areas the need for services related to this activity increases significantly: technicians, industries, service companies, machinery, etc. It also prevents the abandonment of lands, erosion and desertification from an environmental point of view. Provides oxygen; it consumes carbon dioxide and preserves the landscape and historical heritage, as it is attributed to the fixation of the population in the rural environment.
All this content that I just quoted is literally a quote. Recovery Plan: 130 measures to face the demographic challenge
Similarly, Minister Planas, in recent statements regarding the possible interruption of 7.5 days of fishing in the trawler fleet proposed by Brussels, said: “This will be a very complex discussion, but Spain’s position will be very firm because environmental sustainability has three pillars: biological, but also economic and social. They must be on the same level.
This is the real way: achieving environmental sustainability without sacrificing economic and social sustainability. Therefore, decisions must be made that preserve the other two by enhancing the first.
This is not the way to go when it comes to increasing the ecological flows of the Tagus Hydrological Plan for the period 2022-2027.
Last Friday, the Boundary Water Council approved the Segura Containment Hydrological Plan effective for the period 2022-2027. Prepared by technicians of the Segura Hydrographic Confederation (a Ministerial Basin Agency headed by Vice President Ribera), this Plan highlights in relation to the assessment of this increase in ecological flows in Tagus.Given the magnitude of these impacts, the scenario derived from the implementation of the ecological flows envisaged in the draft Tajo Plan can be considered a disproportionate cost for this hydrographic boundary, both economically, socially and environmentally. . ”
The Basin Organization quantifies the devastating effects that will occur in the Boundary Setting (Alicante, Murcia and Almería): more than 8,000 jobs would be lost, no more than €232 million per year would contribute to the Spanish GDP, and the loss of assets would exceed €485 million. It also assesses the negative environmental impact of the measure, with multiple adverse effects such as higher energy consumption due to desalinated water production, increased availability of boron for irrigation and supply, or higher greenhouse gas emissions.
We must now put a face to these devastating numbers. Thousands of farmers, transporters, canned workers, agricultural cooperatives… in short; of the entire relevant industry in general.
But we must add to this the increase in the water bill of Alicante households. The Confederation calculates in its Plan an annual increase in urban supply costs of 16 million euros and difficulty to participate in urban supply in drought situations. Let’s get our pockets ready, in addition to the increases we’ve already experienced across Spain, Levante will be punished by a sharp increase in its water bill, which has already increased by an average of 8.7% per year in recent years!
If we do not want one of these figures to touch us, our children or our friends, we must act today. We must act wherever possible and within our reach, but we must act, because the Government’s inconsistencies have made us checkmate.
In Alicante, on May 10, a demonstration tractor was called to demand respect for our countryside and the people of Alicante. The voice of the countryside, industry and the homes of Alicante must be heard firmly and in unity. Make your voice a part of this cry