The Ministry of Agriculture has signed eleven agreements in Seville with irrigation communities mobilising 138.3 million euros. The actions, which affect six Andalusian provinces, include projects in the Lower Guadalquivir region of Seville and on the left bank of the Genil, benefiting 14,490 irrigators.
The signing ceremony, presided over by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Begoña García Bernal, took place in Seville and was attended by the president of SEIASA, Francisco Rodríguez Mulero, and the Minister of Agriculture of the Junta de Andalucía, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco. The projects are part of a collaboration agreement between the ministry, the Junta, and the state company to optimise the use of European rural development funds.
Investment in the Lower Guadalquivir and the left bank of the Genil
In the province of Seville, the most notable actions focus on modernising the irrigation networks in the Lower Guadalquivir area, which includes municipalities such as Lebrija, Las Cabezas de San Juan, and Utrera. Projects are also included on the left bank of the Genil, affecting agricultural land in the provinces of Seville and Córdoba. These works will improve water use efficiency and reduce energy consumption.
The Secretary of State highlighted that “behind every hectare we modernise, there is a family that will irrigate better, will use less water and energy, and will gain more margin.” According to García Bernal, collaboration between administrations accelerates the arrival of investments to the territory. The projects include the installation of solar photovoltaic plants, remote control systems, and irrigation automation, as well as the expansion of water treatment infrastructure.
522 million euros of planned investment in Andalusia
With the 138.3 million signed today, the total planned investment by the Ministry of Agriculture in Andalusia amounts to 522 million euros, distributed across 40 actions. Of these, 22 projects are executed under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, with an investment of 322.45 million, while the remaining 18 are financed through the traditional agreement with SEIASA, with 199.60 million.
To date, SEIASA has invested 552.19 million euros in Andalusia, with 47 completed modernisation actions benefiting 45,590 irrigators and modernising 196,572 hectares. The new projects will add 102,495 hectares and benefit 14,490 irrigators across the autonomous community.
Specific projects in the province of Seville
Among the eleven agreements signed, several directly affect the province of Seville. Specifically, the actions in the Lower Guadalquivir and on the left bank of the Genil (Córdoba and Seville) include the modernisation of distribution networks and the installation of remote control systems. Additionally, the expansion of the irrigation water treatment plant at Balsa del Sapo, in the Sol y Arena Irrigation Community (Almería), and digitalisation projects in the Guadalcacín Irrigation Community (Cádiz) are planned.
The Minister of Agriculture, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, emphasised the importance of these investments for the Andalusian agricultural sector, which “needs modern infrastructure to be competitive and sustainable.” Irrigators in Seville will see an improvement in their irrigation capacity, with lower water and energy consumption, translating into greater profitability for their operations.
Impact on the daily lives of Seville's farmers
For farmers in the province of Seville, these actions will represent a significant change in their daily work. The modernisation of the networks will allow for more precise and automated irrigation, reducing water losses and the time spent managing irrigation. Furthermore, the installation of photovoltaic plants will lower energy costs, a key factor in operations with pumping.
The works will be carried out in the coming months, with a schedule that will be specified according to the projects. Benefited irrigators will be able to consult the deadlines in the corresponding irrigation communities. The total investment in the province of Seville, although not broken down separately, is part of the 138 million that will be mobilised across Andalusia.
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