1. EU.WATER
Transnational integrated management of water resources in
agriculture for the European Water emergency control
Introduction and overview of
EU.WATER results
Marco Meggiolaro
project manager
PROVINCE OF FERRARA – LEAD PARTNER
Final Conference
Budapest, 24th April 2012

2. 24th April 2012, Budapest EU.WATER Final Conference www.eu-water.eu
premises
water stress phenomena in SEE agriculture

3. Environmental concerns in Southern and Eastern Europe
high water consumption in agriculture and pollution caused by massive use of fertilizers
of organic and chemical origin
Structural weaknesses in legislation and mitigation act.
delay in the application of the Water Framework Directive (Dir 2000/60/EC) and EU
Nitrates Directive (Dir. 91/676/EEC) and external Countries quite distant for achieving
standards in line with the EU provisions
lack of crucial agronomic information and geo-referenced maps in some Eastern Europe
countries - essential to drive sustainable agricultural management practices in line with
EU standards
poor investments in technological innovation, in education to learn new green practices
and analytic methodologies, in the local network of technical assistance to farmers

4. 24th April 2012, Budapest EU.WATER Final Conference www.eu-water.eu
towards 2020
the changing frame of reference

5. EUROPE 2020 Strategy
flagship initiative for the sustainable use of the natural resources
CAP reform towards 2020
innovation as being indispensable to preparing EU agriculture for the future
increased productivity and competitiveness of agriculture calls for improved resource
efficiency in order to produce with less water (…) nitrogen fertilisers and pesticides
European Innovation Partnership - Agricultural
Productivity and Sustainability
role of research and innovation as key elements in preparing the EU agriculture for future
challenges and
need to bridging the gap between farming practice and science through smart networking

6. 24th April 2012, Budapest EU.WATER Final Conference www.eu-water.eu
mainstreaming
between productivity and environment

7. A sustainable rural development gets grip over the policy
agenda
Identification of patterns of agricultural development in SEE Countries Rural Programmes,
capable of arbitrating between the necessity to preserve crop yields and the need to protect
the environment, minimizing the effects of fertilizers on land and water resources
Integrated, multi-systemic and multi-functional
approach: the EU.WATER philosophy
research and innovation efforts at all level
policymakers awareness towards this challenge and trained personnel capable in
managing and attracting funds
involvement skilled and experienced private actors and socio-economic associations (i.e.
the farmers corporations) to identify problems, elaborate strategy and shape long-term
visions
effective planning of resources and the launch of international cooperation initiatives with
the scope of achieving stronger technical expertise

8. 24th April 2012, Budapest EU.WATER Final Conference www.eu-water.eu
EU.WATER
improving the water resources management in
South East Europe

9. The objective of EU.WATER is to address the problem of
rationalization of water use in agriculture and the
reduction of nitrogen loads and other pollutants caused
by intensive cultural exploitation, in order to:
enhance - in the Member States - the effective and
coherent implementation of the WFD and Nitrates
Directive
to transfer practices and tools for the sustainable
management of natural resources in EU entering
Countries and in neighbouring Countries to approach EU
water quality standards
objective

10. 1. PROVINCE OF FERRARA (IT)
2. PROVINCE OF ROVIGO (IT)
3. TRANS-TISZANIAN INSP. FOR ENVIRONMENT, NATURE,
WATER of Debrecen (HU)
4. UNIVERSITY OF DEBRECEN (HU)
5. REGION OF WESTERN MACEDONIA (GR)
6. ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY of Thessaloniki (GR)
7. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH-DEVELOPMENT
FOR LAND RECLAMATION (RO)
8. AGENCY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF ISTRIA (HR)
9. INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS of
Beograd (SRB)
10. UNIVERISTY OF ODESSA (UA)
11. IALOVENI RAYOUN COUNCIL (MOL)
partnership

11. results
1
the development and updating of vulnerability maps for the eight
pilot areas located in some hydrographical systems of Eastern
Europe, in order to detect and - in some cases - reclassify hydro-
stress phenomena associated with the use of fertilizers and to the
high consumption of water for irrigation
Sarigkiol river basin (GR) Po river basin, Ferrara & Rovigo (IT)

12. results
2
the implementation of pilot actions, characterized by a strong
scientific and agronomic background, to experiment new techniques
and new approaches for the control of pollutant loads, for a
precision fertilization and for the water saving in agriculture
FERRARA
ROVIGO
Soil nitrogen content
determination for a
precision-based fertilization
Sidedress of cattle beef
slurry between corn rows
with straight tine cultivator

13. results
2
the implementation of pilot actions, characterized by a strong
scientific and agronomic background, to experiment new techniques
and new approaches for the control of pollutant loads, for a
precision fertilization and for the water saving in agriculture
TIZLA RIVER BASIN
Efficient use of water
resources and reduction of
agricultural nitrate pollution

14. results
2
the implementation of pilot actions, characterized by a strong
scientific and agronomic background, to experiment new techniques
and new approaches for the control of pollutant loads, for a
precision fertilization and for the water saving in agriculture
SARIGKIOL BASIN
Application of a DSS to
support water-use and eco-
friendly decision process in
agricultural production
planning

15. results
2
the implementation of pilot actions, characterized by a strong
scientific and agronomic background, to experiment new techniques
and new approaches for the control of pollutant loads, for a
precision fertilization and for the water saving in agriculture
ARGES-VEDEA BASIN
Implementation of a multi-
sectorIal integrated DSS 20
localities from the above
mentioned river basin which
are situated inside Nitrates
Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)

16. results
3
a common transnational strategy aimed at defining a common set of
recommendations and strategies for a water-friendly agriculture and
to strengthen policy development in local areas considered
vulnerable to Nitrates, in line with the EU provisions
censuses on the use of water and fertilization
practices traditionally implemented by farmers in the
8 EU.WATER regions
joint measures on the importance of the adoption of a
water balance for water saving and several actions to
improve fertilization, both with manure and synthetic
fertilizers
practices scaled down at local level to influence local
policymakers

17. results
4
improvement of the skills of professionals and farmers in the
integrated management of water resources, through capacity building
actions and a sharp communication strategy to address the traditional
and local-based cultural practices models towards eco-friendly
patterns, in line with the European standards
24 local workshops
12 capacity buildings with farmers and technicians
strong communication campaign (website, books,
newsletters, video) and enhancement of the local
networks of technical assistance to farmers
around 1500 people directly involved

18. results
5
Schooling and human capital investments can enhance the technical
efficiency of rural production activities: 1 Transnational capacity
building organized to reinforce the skills of administrations and
technicians from Serbia, Croatia, Moldova and Ukraine in water and
environmental monitoring processes
1 intensive training organized in Ferrara in July 2011

19. 24th April 2012, Budapest EU.WATER Final Conference www.eu-water.eu
vision
a South East Europe partnership
for innovation in agriculture

20. the lesson learnt
EU.WATER have inspired a successful
bridging between research, new
technologies, bottom-up dialogue among
farmers and their corporations,
administrations, advisory services and
academics
EU.WATER have inspired a successful
bridging between research, new
technologies, bottom-up dialogue among
farmers and their corporations,
administrations, advisory services and
academics
translating
research results
into innovation and
quicker
mainstreaming of
innovation into
practice
systematic feedback
from practice to
science concerning
research needs
elements for a more
accurate understanding
of the real vulnerability
to nitrates and for a
detailed definition of
related mitigation
measures that can be
taken in each partner’s
area
raising awareness
on the need for
targeted
investments in
sustainable
innovation in
agriculture

21. inputs for (our) future
investing in scientific and technical experimentations on site to innovate
agriculture while preserving traditions
environmental monitoring must become a “must” to improve the governance in
rural area and tackle effective and most striking problems
need for synergies through exchange schemes thus contributing to shape or
improve the existing policy instruments and address rural growth and agricultural
competitiveness in SEE, and complementing them with new actions
dynamic platforms linking farmers, public and private stakeholders and
researchers, as well as cluster initiatives
fuelling pilot and demonstration activities by making use of the of the
opportunities provided by different EU instruments such as Common Agricultural
Policy, Union Research and Innovation Policy, Cohesion Policy, Environmental and
Climate Change Policy

22. conclusion
EU.WATER represents a common macro-regional answer to increase
agricultural output based on water-wise approach and scientific-
oriented patterns rooted on traditional agricultural practices
a regional answer
EU.WATER represents a starting point to govern the transformations
in the rural sectors, by providing advices and guidance to reconcile
crops production with environmental preservations, paving the way
towards a broader South East Europe partnership for agricultural
innovation
a partnership for
innovation in agriculture

23. Thank you for your attention
The Province of Ferrara
on behalf of EU.WATER partnership