(based on the Green Dossier Discussion Place)
Discussion Place “The EU Water Resilience Strategy: What Does It Mean for Ukrainian Farmers?” brought together representatives of environmental organizations and agricultural associations, agricultural advisory structures and experts from international projects, scientists, and government officials — those for whom the issue of water supply for agriculture is urgent and even critical today.
Gathering a rather large audience (this time — over 90 registered participants) for our discussions, we do not claim to provide ready-made recipes for solving problems. Instead, we highlight the most pressing issues with the help of specialists, identify gaps between EU approaches and Ukrainian realities, provide contacts of those who can help address problems or fill these gaps, and try to collect practical examples from around the world that can be applied wisely.
The Water Resilience Strategy, published by the European Commission in June this year, emphasizes that water resilience is a matter of EU security and crisis preparedness. Based on existing EU legislation, the new strategy outlines key approaches, tasks, and recommendations for their proper implementation.
Gregorio Dávila Díaz, Deputy Head of Unit “Environmental Sustainability” (Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, DG AGRI, European Commission), clearly presented all the tasks and opportunities currently facing farmers in EU Member States. In particular, it is necessary to restore the damaged water cycle using the “source-to-sea” approach. This includes restoring the natural sponge function of soils to absorb and retain water, as well as tackling pollution.
It also means building a “water-smart” economy through digitalization, smart metering, and leak reduction. Such an economy should use cutting-edge technologies and be adapted to the projected water deficit. The principle of “Water Efficiency First” should be applied, ensuring effective water allocation between sectors, promoting awareness-raising, creating cooperation networks, and engaging stakeholders to find targeted solutions for each region.
Europe is warming at a very fast pace, leading to water shortages and droughts in the south, and water-related problems in northern countries.
On average, 20% of Europe’s territory and 30% of its population suffer from these issues each year. Extreme water events, such as droughts and floods, cause significant economic losses — around €4.5 billion annually.
Most surface waters (63%) and groundwater (almost 70%) have poor ecological and chemical status, meaning they are polluted. Agriculture is one of the sources of this pollution and, at the same time, the largest water user (21% of total water consumption). Due to a lack of surface water, pressure on groundwater is increasing.
Increasing water scarcity threatens food security, especially given that Europe is an important global food supplier.
How does this affect Ukrainian farmers? Directly.
And it’s not just because Ukraine will soon have to comply with EU rules and legislation, meaning we must already understand new approaches and consider the recommendations provided. The point is that water problems in Ukraine and Europe are shared — and must be solved jointly.
For example, Moldovan agriculture directly depends on the water levels of rivers flowing from Ukraine. Dr. Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, Executive Director of the NGO “EcoContact” and former Minister of Ecology of Moldova, is rightly concerned about low water levels in rivers originating in Ukraine and essential for Moldovan farming. She highlights the importance of introducing a basin approach, faithfully implementing international agreements and conventions, protecting and ensuring the sustainable development of the Dniester and Danube basins, creating an interstate expert group (Moldova, Romania, Ukraine) for the protection of the Prut River, and involving civil society organizations from our countries in this work.
Representatives of agricultural associations are concerned: too many problems and tasks for farmers, and too little support from the state.
Mykhailo Sokolov, Deputy Head of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council Public Organization, fully aware of the challenges facing agriculture due to the climate crisis and war, sees salvation in irrigation, the restoration of destroyed reclamation systems, and, above all, in creating systemic solutions for the water supply of the agricultural sector. He notes that the inertia of state policy could lead to a significant decline in agricultural production, as there is no systematic planning or policy for the sector’s water supply, and an individual farmer cannot solve these problems alone.
Environmental experts are deeply concerned about the degradation of water sources — especially wetlands and peatlands — the uncontrolled use of groundwater, the disappearance of small rivers, the lack of a drought mitigation program, nitrate pollution from agriculture, and delays in adopting laws on nitrate pollution and defining vulnerable zones.
Restoring irrigation systems, as proposed by farmers, is not a panacea in the view of environmentalists. The broken water cycle must be restored using the “source-to-sea” approach, reestablishing the natural sponge function of soils to absorb and retain water, and creating infiltration zones to help retain water during heavy rains.
In other words, an integrated approach to water resource management is needed: a “smart” water economy using modern technologies, digitalization, and leak prevention; a national drought policy; pilot projects on water efficiency and closed water cycle technologies. This is precisely what the European Water Resilience Strategy is about.
On the need for an integrated approach to water policy, both environmentalists and farmers agree — though their visions differ. Farmers insist on restoring and creating new irrigation systems, while environmentalists warn that there will be no water for irrigation unless the natural water cycle is restored.
Thus, the discussion between environmentalists and farmers must continue and intensify. We must listen to each other and find adequate solutions together.
Water problems are global and are being addressed worldwide. Tamara Kutonova, Manager of the National Policy Dialogues on Water Programme in UNECE Water Convention, citing practice from various regions of the Eurasian continent, speaks about key water-saving tools, main principles, the role of science and technology, and innovative approaches. She emphasizes the need to update curricula in secondary and higher education institutions, provide farmer training and consultations, develop farmer applications, and combine innovative approaches with a rethinking of traditions.
State environmental programs and strategies developed by the Ministry of Environment, with the support of numerous international programs and not always coordinated with the former Ministry of Agrarian Policy, are now under the responsibility of the new joint ministry, where cross-sectoral problems of farmers and environmentalists should be addressed more systematically and quickly. Reform Support Team specialists from the Ministry of Environment, now part of the reform office of the new ministry, will likely help ensure that strategies and approaches developed in the Ministry of Environment become strategic assets for the new ministry. The united Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture will even have a deputy minister responsible specifically for water supply issues.
Joint recommendations of our project participants for the new ministry and the relevant deputy minister:
- Create a “smart” water economy using modern technologies, digitalization, and leak prevention.
- Apply the principle of integrated water resource management, with horizontal and vertical integration.
- Apply the “Water Efficiency First” principle — reduce water demand and increase water efficiency.
- Ecodesign and Labeling: While the idea of a universal “water footprint” label on products is controversial and complex, the EU is moving towards incorporating water efficiency into ecodesign regulations. This means manufacturers will be incentivized to produce more water-efficient products. In the future, this could be reflected in consumer-facing labels, encouraging conscious choices and driving market demand for sustainable products.
- Restore the broken water cycle using the “source-to-sea” approach and restore the natural sponge function of soils.
- Ensure effective governance for water allocation between sectors (agriculture, industry, tourism), setting priorities in case of scarcity.
- Provide financial support for farmers adopting water-resilient practices: subsidies, preferential loans, public-private partnerships.
- Support innovations, sustainable technologies, and nature-based solutions (precision and smart farming, irrigation canal insulation, smart irrigation, riparian buffer protection, low water-demand crops and varieties, crop rotation, drought-resistant varieties, fertigation, wastewater reuse, wetland restoration, tackling nitrate and pesticide pollution, etc.).
- Introduce drought management policies to minimize negative impacts on the economy, society, and the environment, to manage water resources, predict droughts and low water periods, and implement actions to mitigate their consequences.
- Focus on awareness-raising, updating curricula, farmer training and consultations, farmer applications — combining innovative approaches with a rethinking of traditions.
Existing strategic documents and plans must be aligned with the EU Water Resilience Strategy. International agreements and conventions must continue to be implemented properly. Strategic dialogue between farmers and environmentalists, with the participation of all stakeholders, must develop. Civil society organizations should be active participants in this dialogue.
Thanks to all our participants! Speakers presentations and recordings are available on our website, along with a useful materials and links in the Library sector (Ukrainian only).
Materials of the event:
- Presentations (available below in the original language)
- Full video recording (in English)
This article prepared in the frame of “AgriFuture UA: Driving Sustainable Agriculture and EU Integration through CSOs” project implementing by ICO IC «Green Dossier» with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework «Whole Society Accession» project.
Its content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation.
