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March 21, 2021 The real thorn in the side for Italian agriculture is the drought that causes damage for one billion euros a year, especially for the quantity and quality of the crops.
This is Coldiretti's figure for the World Water Day which is celebrated on 22 March.
A main role is played by infrastructural deficiencies which retain only 11% of rainwater.
Covid makes the problem more urgent given the reduction in trade.
"We have developed a concrete project to save water, increase irrigation capacity and increase the availability of food for families", says the President of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini.
It is “a network of small reservoirs with a low landscape impact spread throughout the territory.
The idea is to build, without the use of cement, ponds in balance with the territories that conserve water to distribute it rationally to citizens, industry and agriculture, with an important impact on the environment and employment. ".
Coldiretti's water resources plan for the Recovery Plan aims at the green transition in order to save 30% of water for irrigation, reduce the risk of floods and landslides, increase Italy's food security, guarantee water availability in case of fires, improve the landscape value of the territories and ensure adequate storage for green hydroelectric production in line with the EU emission reduction targets for 2030.
To date, according to the National Association of Management and Protection Consortia Territory and irrigated waters - 5 billion cubic meters of water compared to 50 years ago.
When in 1971 the national water conference had indicated at least 17 billion cubic meters the need for the reservoir necessary to meet the needs of the country in 1980.
Currently the capacity is 13.7 billion cubic meters according to data from the Italian Large Committee Dams.