Mosquitoes swarm around researchers on the banks of the Ebro River, flooding fields and taking measurements.
The smell of sweat and insect repellent mixes together moisture The team is testing water-saving strategies in flooded fields at the Agri-Food Research and Technology Institute (IRTA) near Amposta.
The Ebro is the second longest river in Spain; It winds through the north of the country before emptying into the Mediterranean along the coast of Catalonia, 200 km south of Barcelona.
Here it forms one of the largest wetlands in Western Europe: the Ebro River Delta. Not only is it a habitat for thousands of species, it also serves as a species resource. hydroelectriceco-tourism and most economically important rice cultivation.
Drought It was seen that the Ebro Delta was damaged in Spain and especially in Catalonia. Water scarcity has resulted in a 50 percent cut in the available area for irrigation of crops.
All segments of the wetland community (including farmers, hunters, environmentalists) and the Catalan government are consequently forced to cooperate and adapt.
“We need to maintain a balance,” IRTA researcher Maria del Mar Catala, who has worked in the Delta for 35 years, tells Euronews Green.
“Farmers’ minds are changing, they are adapting. “15 years ago no one wanted to talk about water reduction, now it’s happening.”
Why is rice important for Spain?
Spain ranks first after Italy rice In Europe, it accounts for 30 percent of the EU’s total production. The largest rice-producing region was the southern part of Andalusia, but climate we changed this.
in Andalusia Seville The area under rice cultivation in the region decreased by 53 percent in 2021, 69 percent in 2022, and 96 percent in 2023 compared with the average production of previous years; This means that the region that once produced the most rice now produces almost nothing. This puts further pressure on other rice growing areas, such as the Ebro Delta, to continue production, increasing the threat to the wetland ecosystem.
“Rice is the most economical crop in the delta; More stress on rice production in Catalonia means more stress on the environment, says IRTA researcher Nestor Perez Mendez. He speaks as an environmentalist, but also as someone who understands that the delta’s economic sustainability makes it valuable to government and businesses.
The delta is in a position that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, as drought has reduced water flow and reduced the sediment deposits needed to keep the delta aloft. sea level. But Spain’s wetland is a case study for the rest of Europe of how commercial and environmental interests can work together in the face of increasingly extreme weather.
mediator of wetlands
Funded by the Spanish ministry of science, IRTA is conducting research to prepare for this future by uniting different groups of the delta.
“All farmers know that I defend their interests and I try to create a synergy between farmers and environmental interests,” says Maria. “I’ve worked with them all my life, they need me and I need them. “Farmers will adapt, they have to.”
Drought Catalonia led to water restrictions Water use for agriculture in cities and rural areas has decreased by 50 percent. This makes it increasingly difficult to achieve the flooded conditions that rice needs to grow.
Researchers from IRTA, which provides technical advice to the government and farmers, are conducting experiments in wetland facilities. These tests include flooding rice fields for specific periods of time or flooding and drying rice fields throughout the growing season. All the methods they hope will reduce dependence on the mass flooding and save water in future times of drought.
Progress takes time, but research done today will enable the region to better adapt to a changing climate in the future. “If people don’t study this issue, there will be no pool of alternatives when the time comes,” says Chilean researcher Seba Leonardo.
A delicate delta, an extreme climate
Worsening droughts aren’t locals’ only climate-related concern.
“This year we have drought with regulated water and sea level rise. Maybe it’s not a 10 or 20 year thing, but it’s very close. Then it will be difficult to grow rice here,” says rice farmer Lluis Jornet.
Storms in previous years were almost as worrying as drought. When the Ebro meets the Mediterranean, sea water It can overtake flooded fields and cause soil salinization. This makes life difficult clean water species and rice breeders.
“The unpredictability of the climate is increasing,” explains Nestor. “We can adapt to less water and provide alternatives to deal with water scarcity. The problem is that this year may be dry and next year may be wet and rainy; The Ebro Delta is vulnerable to both.
“The worst problem for me is the unpredictability of the climate, so we cannot plan a reliable strategy in the long term.”
A framework for the future
Technology can help us in a world affected by extreme weather, but not right away. The IRTA institute is an example of necessary, long-term research that paves the way for critical research. adaptations.
Spain is at the forefront of climate change in Europe, with 75 percent of its territory struggling with climatic conditions. desertificationAccording to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
Other European countries will examine how Spain’s environmental and agricultural communities work together to help each other at the local level.
The increasing pressure that climate change will place on more northern parts of the continent requires that lessons learned from the delta be taken into account before the climate catches us off guard.