On the 19th of February 2025, the European Commission presented the Vision for Agriculture and Food, setting out the following objectives:
– Recognising agriculture and food as strategic sectors
– Strengthening competitiveness and attractiveness of the sector
– Ensuring long-term growth, innovation, and societal benefits
The agriculture sector is one of the largest water consumers, so what does this Vision mean to water?
1. The Vision for Agriculture and Food recognised that farmers are part of the solution to protect and build resilience of our water
2. The Vision aims to support the Water Resilience Strategy in future-proofing the sector and in promoting more efficient water uses, reducing water pollution and addressing challenges related to over-abstraction of water resources
3. It recognises the role of AI and digitalisation in supporting new water-smart farming techniques
The Vision for Agriculture and Food is built on the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture report from September 2024, which enshrined the promotion of water-resilient agriculture as a political guiding principle.
Water Europe’s Community is actively contributing to achieving water-smart agriculture by looking at the deployment of innovative solutions across Europe. Research & Innovation are essential for harnessing the benefits of Living Labs, digital tools, water reuse and alternative water processes in cooperation with farmers. Have a look at two new EU-funded projects Npower and Georgia. See here a factsheet on the Vision.
