Copa and Cogeca underlined the importance on World Water Day of sustainable water management to produce quality food, and called for research and innovation to be stepped up to enhance the contribution of the EU agriculture sector to an overall more sustainable and circular economy .
Speaking in Brussels, Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “Sustainable water supplies are crucial for a viable EU agriculture sector. Farmers are first to feel the impact of climate change like drought and floods. That is why they help to ensure that our natural resources are managed sustainably”.
“Research and innovation can also further contribute to ensuring that water is managed sustainably which is why it to be stepped up. Precision spreading and application techniques for example reduce the drift of nutrients or plant protection products (PPPs) into surface water. New breeding techniques and coated seeds are also important solutions to tackle environmental challenges. Recycled waste water will meanwhile become our most important source of clean water, cutting abstractions of ground water”, he added.
“But to do this, farmers need better access to funding when it comes to adoption of sustainable management practices. We need demand-driven research focusing on practicable outcomes, ready, easy and fast to use solutions. Solutions that will permit them to make an economic living and at the same time contribute to our environment”, he concluded.
