Improving water management: The irrigation advisory service of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)

This work presents the main methodological aspects and results obtained from the activity of the Irrigation Advisory Service for Farmers (SIAR) of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Castilla-La Mancha is a broad semi-arid region, with a total area of 8 million ha and an irrigable area of more an 475,000 ha. Most of these irrigated areas (at least 60%) present serious problems of water scarcity, and are in need of improvement in the use of irrigation water. SIAR upgrades farmers' capacities and awareness, thus minimizing the negative environmental impacts of irrigation, decreasing the production costs and contributing to the sustainability of irrigated agriculture in the area. Approximately, 25% of the irrigated area is advised, representing 499 collaborator farmers within an area of ca. 100,000 ha. Water-scarce areas are where the SIAR advice is more closely followed by the farmers and irrigation performance indicators are highest. The total estimated cost for the service is of about €3 ha−1 yr−1. A team of field technicians forms the core of SIAR. The team is assembled via a cooperation agreement between the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the Regional Government. Among the results and conclusions obtained, the most important is the improvement of water use. However, technical, social and economic limitations are relevant, and constitute a handicap to achieve the objectives of the advisory service.