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More than 40% of the Italian workforce is employed in this region and produces nearly 40% of the national GDP. 55% of Italian livestock is found here and 35% of the agricultural production takes place in this region.

The principal farming areas are localised in the Po valley, covering 45% of the basin’s total area. Most of the agricultural land in the Po valley is arable land, drained by artificial ditches, and 50% of agricultural land is irrigated during summer. The major crops that are grown are wheat, maize, fodder, barley, sugar beets and rice – with the latter being especially water demanding. 

The United Nations World Water Development Report 3 (World Water Assessment Programme, 2009) summarises the water challenges in the Po River basin, concluding that the high level of regional development has put heavy pressure on water resources and led to degradation of surface and groundwater quality.

Averaged year flow rate is presently lower than water use permits, both for surface waters and for groundwater. Irrigation is by far the largest consumer of water, four times the consumption of industrial water and public water supply combined.