Can Europe’s farmers save the water cycle?

The European Environment Agency reports that agriculture accounts for about 29% of Europe's annual freshwater withdrawal of approximately 200 billion cubic meters. In Portugal’s Alentejo region, farmers are modernizing irrigation systems and adopting nature-based solutions to cope with frequent droughts and rising water demand. For instance, the organic vineyard Herdade do Esporão has reduced its water consumption through precision farming technologies and sustainable practices. Meanwhile, in Ireland, where agriculture dominates 70% of the landscape and is a major source of pollution, the €60 million Farming for Water initiative aims to involve up to 15,000 farmers in reducing sediment and nutrient runoff into watercourses by creating wetland ponds or buffer zones between fields and rivers.

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