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Farm area/size of the organisation:
Number of workers:
Farm main activity:
Continental climate with very hot summers (40°C); 500 mm of rainfall which in recent years has dropped to 300-350mm.
The soils are clayey with subsoils affected by salinity which complicates the use of groundwater for agricultural use.
Organisation, constitution, construction, and start-up of an irrigation community that brings together more than 100 farms and almost 1,500 ha of olive groves.
The infrastructures consist of three sections: catchment, reservoir, and distribution. The water is collected from the Guadalquivir River 7 km from the storage point, from where it is pumped to a reservoir of 1 cubic hectometre from where it is distributed to each plot with an annual supply of 1500 m3/ha.
The fundamental objective of the constitution of an irrigation community is to facilitate access to water for farmers in a region or district.
Thanks to this legal figure it is possible to undertake infrastructure that otherwise could not be built on an individual basis.
The creation of an irrigation community is justified by legal requirements, as this association is necessary for the management, organisation, and planning of irrigation for a group of farmers.
For most of these farmers, it has meant the conversion from rainfed to irrigated land, with an impact on the productivity, profitability, and labour requirements of their farms.
Most of the area was formerly rainfed with low average yields and high variability between years.
Some had small groundwater concessions, but with salinity problems. To avoid duplication, these concessions have had to be regularised after integration into the irrigation community.
There must be a cooperative spirit that favours the acceptance of working with other farmers, for which it is necessary to create an environment that generates trust.
Legal advice is needed to obtain the irrigation concession and infrastructure advice for the development and control of the necessary works and installations.
Many farms were converted from rainfed to irrigated land, stabilising their annual production, and tripling their productivity, as well as increasing the value of their assets.
Each member had to assume an investment of €6.000/ha, the amortisation of which is between 3 and 4 years.
In addition, each member must pay around €500/ha per year for fertiliser, electricity, and water charges.
The community undertook major works for which a satisfactory environmental assessment was required.
Irrigation made it possible to maintain vegetation cover, as irrigation generates less competition with cultivation.
In addition, the community has allowed for rational water management and planning, which would have been more complex with 100 individual initiatives.
From the social point of view, the irrigation of a large area, affecting many farmers, has an impact on the income of the region where it is located.
The irrigated farms have a greater need for labour for the work and harvesting, making it possible to redistribute income among the local population.
As with any democratic cooperative system, conflicts can arise when it comes to decision-making. For this it is always very important to maintain a technical criterion and to be advised by external suppliers.
From a structural point of view, it is very important to maintain and control the pond to avoid leaks and damage to the structure.
Many farms were converted from rainfed to irrigated land, stabilising their annual production, and tripling their productivity, as well as increasing the value of their assets.
Each member had to assume an investment of €6.000/ha, the amortisation of which is between 3 and 4 years.
In addition, each member must pay around €500/ha per year for fertiliser, electricity, and water charges.
The community undertook major works for which a satisfactory environmental assessment was required.
Irrigation made it possible to maintain vegetation cover, as irrigation generates less competition with cultivation.
In addition, the community has allowed for rational water management and planning, which would have been more complex with 100 individual initiatives.
From the social point of view, the irrigation of a large area, affecting many farmers, has an impact on the income of the region where it is located.
The irrigated farms have a greater need for labour for the work and harvesting, making it possible to redistribute income among the local population.
As with any democratic cooperative system, conflicts can arise when it comes to decision-making. For this it is always very important to maintain a technical criterion and to be advised by external suppliers.
From a structural point of view, it is very important to maintain and control the pond to avoid leaks and damage to the structure.
The associative form itself constitutes an innovative element that facilitates the possibility of developing infrastructures for the irrigation of large areas.
It is a tool for financing, organisation, management, and control, protected by the water law, which guarantees integration in the planning of the Guadalquivir basin and a more efficient use of resources.
The cooperative spirit of the community members and the creation of an atmosphere of trust is very important.
Technical and legal advice is fundamental; in the case of this community, some of the members were construction professionals, which helped to reduce the cost of the works and to better control costs and quality.
The infrastructure had to cover a long distance, first 7 km from the river to the reservoir and then 15 km from the reservoir to the last irrigation point.
In addition, the steepness of the terrain, up to 140 m of slope, made it necessary to sectorise and install more pumping capacity with greater investment and energy costs.
At first, the potential members had to be convinced of the opportunity to establish the irrigation community. Many were reluctant to lose control over the financing of the infrastructure.
It was particularly difficult to obtain authorisation for the plots of land through which the 7 km of catchment pipes to the reservoir had to pass.
In many cases, negotiation work was very important to convince all the people involved. Building trust and being flexible is essential.
About physical and technical difficulties, it must be accepted that finding a solution to them sometimes requires a greater financial effort, for which it is essential to find financial support through grants or loans with preferential conditions.
“The switch from rainfed to irrigated farming is essential for the sustainability of farms. Increased productivity and stabilisation of the farms guarantees the sustainability of this conversion”.
“Setting up an irrigation community is a basic tool, it is the only way to face investments that would otherwise be impossible to make on an individual basis”.
The conversion of rainfed olive groves to irrigation is one of the most efficient conversion processes in terms of water use due to the reduced consumption per hectare compared to other crops.
This community has also followed all the hydrological and environmental planning requirements, so its sustainability is guaranteed.
The properties affected have seen their asset value increase, as well as guaranteeing their economic sustainability with higher and more stable production.
The investments undertaken are estimated at around €6,000/ha with a payback period of 3-4 years, which means that the community members have been reaping the rewards of setting up the irrigation community for years.
This type of structure is especially recommended in regions with significant water shortages, where there is a water supply point and the characteristics of the crop make it possible to make a productive leap that justifies the development of this initiative.
To be able to undertake this initiative, there must be a legal figure that makes its constitution possible.
This figure must be integrated into the hydrological plans, as it participates in the water management of the basin where it is located.
This form of association is particularly interesting, as it enables the development of investments for irrigation infrastructures that are beyond the capacity of the individual.
If it also involves the transition of large areas from rainfed to irrigated land, the economic, environmental, and social implications justify its development.
As a cooperative tool, there are difficulties in decision-making, so it is important to consider the needs of all and to create an environment of trust.
Enormous efforts have been required to obtain authorisations and permits, which, together with the complexity of the necessary structures, make technical and legal advice essential for success.
AGRIWATER project has been funded with the support from the European Commission, with the reference number 2020-1-CZ01-KA204-078212. The content of this website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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