The Generalitat has launched a system to simplify the paperwork in the presentation of water saving plans for livestock and agricultural farms. The 200-page reports will be converted to an Excel document that can be filled out in a maximum of 15 minutes in order to make the processing “more agile” and “effective”, as explained today by the General Director of Agriculture i Ramaderia, Elisenda Guillaumes.
Those affected will be able to download the document on the Sequera de la Genrealtiat Portal and will enter the number of heads or hectares of the farm and the water saving merits that they are meeting.
They will automatically receive a report with the maximum percentage of water that they can use on their farms depending on whether the territory is in the alert, exceptional or emergency phase and the saving measures they have implemented to be more efficient.
“Not only does it make the work easier for the agricultural and livestock sector, since it is an Excel that they can fill out in 10 or 15 minutes, but it also makes it easier for the administration, which will have already done the automation of the calculations,” explains Guillaumes. .
Until now, each farm had to present a very complete report of its water saving plan, which in many cases exceeded 200 pages. Subsequently, the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) reviewed the file and issued a resolution on an individual basis. Now a responsible declaration from the farmer or rancher will be sufficient.
On the other hand, the Generalitat has recalled today the flexibility of water saving measures that farmers and ranchers whose farms drink from internal basins must comply with. If until now, in the emergency phase, reductions of up to 80% were contemplated for the agricultural sector that used gravity irrigation, the percentage has dropped to 65% as long as saving measures are accredited.
For those who use more efficient forms of irrigation such as sprinkling or drip irrigation and demonstrate savings actions, for example, having water meters or scheduling irrigation, water consumption will be much less restrictive and could be reduced only between a 25% and 5%.
Some downward data that the Generalitat contemplates as long as the resource is available. “If there is water, those who have made an effort to be more efficient will not receive the same reduction because in their irrigation method they use less water than others who irrigate by gravity, for example,” the general director explained this morning. of Agriculture and Branch of the Climate Action department, Elisenda Guillaumes.
Livestock farms will also see an increase in the amount of water they can use, for the most part. The readjustment of the restrictions is made in compliance with the Animal Welfare Law and to guarantee the survival of the animals on the farm.
For farm females, the flexibility will be total and the 50% reduction that the Special Drought Plan (PES) contemplates in the emergency phase will not be applied. “We cannot apply this reduction in water consumption because it would mean sacrificing animals,” explains Guillaumes.
For the rest of the livestock, the reduction in water consumption will range between 14.6% and 28.6% depending on the savings merits accredited by the farm. For example, measures such as the use of more sustainable drinkers, checking the pipes to avoid leaks or the use of high pressure equipment to clean the farm will add points.
