Water retention in agricultural fields

By: STA Date: 2024. 10. 09. 11:00

The most important incentive for farmers is to get to know examples that work in their own environment, followed only by support opportunities – stated Zsolt Feldman, the State Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture, at the workshop conference organized by the Agrarian Economics Institute (AKI), where more than 10 projects were presented in March 2024 a national survey of knowledge and willingness to retain water among thousands of farmers, and the participants discussed the results and the connections between the KAP ST water conservation tenders.

(Photo: PIxabay)

According to a survey commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and involving the network of village farmers of the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK), 80% of the respondents consider it important to conserve water in agricultural areas, and in more than half of the planned target areas they would even change the utilization for this purpose. However, in addition to professional help, financial support is also required for implementation. Based on the survey, in five sample areas, the producers, under the professional guidance of the water management directorates, implement projects aimed at retaining water on lower-quality farmland. We will use the results of the survey in our tender construction, which is currently being prepared, for the development and maintenance of the water retention infrastructure for producers. This can be a useful incentive for farmers who are receptive and open to water retention – emphasized Zsolt Feldman at the conference, who reported on the previous regulation and support attempts in the field of encouraging water retention and conservation by producers.

According to the State Secretary’s information, in the cycle of the new Common Agricultural Policy, which started in 2023, a renewed toolkit was put together for this purpose

For example, areas that are periodically covered by water became eligible for support in the area-based support system, within the framework of the Agro-ecology Program, the Ministry of Agriculture encourages those practices that help preserve soil moisture by improving the soil structure. The undertaking of the obligation to preserve the inland water or even the periodic water cover appears in the package of regulations for arable land of the Agricultural Environmental Management Program, he added.