The water we eat: irrigated agriculture's heavy toll

Agriculture imposes a heavy and growing burden on Europe's water resources, threatening water shortages and damage to ecosystems. To achieve sustainable water use, farmers must be given the right price incentives, advice and assistance.

Food is intrinsically bound to human wellbeing. Besides the importance of good food for good health and the pleasure we derive from eating, agricultural production plays a vital role supporting individual livelihoods and the wider economy.

But food production also consumes a lot of water – an equally vital resource. Agriculture accounts for 24 % of water abstraction in Europe and while that might not sound like much compared to the 44 % abstracted for cooling water in energy production, its impact on reserves is much greater. Whereas almost all cooling water is returned to a water body, for agriculture the figure is often just a third.

In addition, agricultural water use is unevenly spread. In some southern European regions, agriculture accounts for more than 80 % of water abstraction. And peak abstraction typically occurs in the summer when water is least available, maximizing detrimental impacts.

The EEA's recent report, Water resources across Europe — confronting water scarcity and drought, describes the grave impacts of excessive abstraction. Overexploiting resources increases the likelihood of severe water shortages during dry periods. But it also means diminished water quality (because pollutants are less diluted) and the risk of salt water intrusion into groundwater in coastal regions. River and lake ecosystems can also be severely affected, harming or killing plants and animals, when water levels drop or dry out completely.