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Water use efficiency and crop productivity

European policies aims to promote water use efficiency in agriculture, an approach reinforced by the EU Green Deal (EC, 2019c) goal towards a resource efficient economy. At global level, Europe is usually considered to be more efficient in irrigation water use (e.g. Jägermeyr et al., 2015). However, studies have suggested that up to 43% of agricultural water use could be saved in Europe (Dworak et al., 2007).

Implementing incentive pricing for the use of water and increasing the cost recovery of abstracting, storing and delivering irrigation water is part of the WFD (Box 4.4)). It is expected that cost recovery and incentive pricing can support greater efficiency in water use, and encourage a shift to crops, irrigation technologies and practices that reduce wastage and ensure an efficient use of water. Cost recovery and volumetric pricing in irrigated agriculture have been more widely adopted in recent years, although many Member State do not yet implement it fully for several social, economic and political reasons (Giannakis et al., 2016; Expósito, 2018; EC, 2019a). It is important to note that incentive pricing does not necessarily result in water savings. Case studies have shown that low water prices limit its impact, but also other factors, such as fertiliser or energy costs, have a stronger impact on water use (Bogaert et al., 2012).