Water resources: a call for projects for farmers and the irrigation of their plots

La ressource en eau, une préoccupation majeure pour les agriculteurs dans le Gard. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

Lancé le 5 mars prochain, il permet d'investir sur les infrastructures hydrauliques existantes ou de proposer de nouveaux projets.

While water resources are a major concern in the Gard department, this Friday March 1, on the occasion of the International Agricultural Show, Marc Fesneau, Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, announced the launch of the first call for projects from the agricultural hydraulic investment fund.

This investment fund is part of the action plan, known as "Water Plan" for resilient and concerted water management. Its objective, specifies the Ministry of Agriculture, "to support efforts to adapt agriculture to the consequences of climate change and to help secure access to water for agricultural operations.

20 million euros in 2024

Supplemented to the tune of 20 million euros in 2024, an amount of 30 million euros will be devoted to this fund from 2025. It will make it possible to "remobilize and modernize existing hydraulic works and develop new projects while respecting the balance of uses and ecosystems", estimates the government, specifying that this "Water Plan" "aims to encourage agroecological transitions, the sharing of water resources and the global and co-concerted territorial approach to the resource& ;quot;.

A first national call for projects is thus launched, focused on "aid for investments relating to agricultural and irrigation hydraulic infrastructure as part of the action plan for resilient and concerted water management, which applies to investments intended exclusively for the irrigation of agricultural plots. This call for projects will take place from Tuesday March 5 to Wednesday May 15, 2024.

Requests for assistance should be sent to the regional directorate of food, agriculture and forestry (DRAAF).

More information at  draaf.occitanie.agriculture.gouv.fr.