Today, less water flows out of the country than it enters

(Photo: AM/István Fekete)

István Nagy emphasized at the handover of an irrigation system implemented from development funds in the Ormánság settlement in southwestern Baranya: the Ministry of Agriculture detected the negative consequences of climate change in time, which is why the drought protection operational corps was formed and 4.3 billion forints were provided for the implementation of immediate measures. He explained that in recent years, thanks to the measures taken by the Hungarian government, 1,050 million cubic meters of water have been captured, 848 kilometers of canal sections have been cleaned and made suitable for storing water, 157.5 million cubic meters of backwaters and reservoirs have been included in the water supply, and 1,672 water experts have worked day and night to prevent and mitigate drought damage. Thanks to all this, compared to the first major historical drought in 2022, drought damage affected 200,000 hectares less area in Hungary this year, the minister said. We have reversed trends, changed ways of thinking about how water should be treated, how water should be managed – he said, highlighting that today less water flows out of the country than it enters, and “it is already clear that we are preserving, managing it, storing water, and we can direct it to where it is needed most”. He pointed out that since agriculture is one of the sectors most exposed to climate change, in order to maintain competitiveness, the sector must be prepared to mitigate the effects of a given year’s drought and to manage the emerging water shortage in the long term. These goals can be achieved through equipment purchases, system developments, and cooperation between the actors in the sectors concerned – he said, highlighting that natural wetlands play a key role in the solution, which not only improve the water supply of neighboring agricultural areas, reduce the possibility of atmospheric drought, and also positively influence summer precipitation.

The restoration of natural wetlands is now justified not only from an ecological but also from an economic perspective

The greatest potential is represented by those low-lying areas that are periodically covered by water – he drew attention. The withdrawal of these lands with poor productivity from cultivation may pay off in the long term, as it improves the landscape’s water use and water management, alleviates drought and has a positive effect on the local microclimate – he indicated. He announced that the government is interested in launching programs that help both farmers and actors in the water sector: this is why the operational team was established and the Agroecological program or the Water into the Landscape program also help in this. In connection with the drought threat declared in May this year, farmers’ irrigation water costs were covered in the amount of about 10 billion forints, and about 4.7 billion forints were spent on water retention investments, thus the hydraulic engineering and mechanical interventions necessary to expand water supply have also begun – he listed. By the beginning of September, the areas offered for flooding had reached 336 hectares, and the canal filling needs totaled 1,278 kilometers – he recorded, highlighting that over the past ten years, the Ministry of Agriculture has supported more than 1,300 production and water management projects, totaling 178 billion forints. As a result of all this, the previously irrigated areas have been doubled and the old irrigation infrastructure has been renovated – he highlighted, adding that more efficient use of the available water resources and more economical return can result if farmers who wish to irrigate them manage the available water resources together. Efficiency increases if the infrastructure necessary for irrigation is created and operated together by farmers, which is why the establishment of irrigation communities is supported – he said, adding that more than 130 irrigation communities have received non-refundable support in the amount of 10 billion forints.

A project has received significant support

Regarding the Vajszló project, it was announced that Ormánsági Öntöző Kft. has received support in excess of one and a half billion forints in the rural development program for its 2.2 billion irrigation development project, thanks to which new irrigation equipment has been installed on 192 hectares of previously unirrigated land, and reservoirs with pumps and pipelines have been established. Csaba Nagy (Fidesz), the region’s parliamentary representative, highlighted that these developments affect people’s everyday lives, “support the rural reality and economy”, and serve those people – currently thirty families – who are connected to the company. With the help of the support, Hungarian agriculture will become more competitive, he emphasized. Zsolt László Baksa, owner of Szentlőrinci Szolanum Kft., which manages the irrigated areas, and Ormánsági Öntöző Kft., which invested in the project, highlighted that drilled wells and water reservoirs have been established, and irrigation can be carried out with the most modern technological control, even from mobile phones. He added: seeds will be grown in the irrigated areas, which will be processed in their own plant. According to public company data, Szentlőrinci Szolanum Kft. achieved a profit of 35 million forints with a net sales revenue of 1.056 billion forints in 2024, while a year earlier it achieved a revenue of 1.080 billion and a profit of 107 million forints.

AM/MTI