Tracing the Impact of Agricultural Policies on Irrigation Water Demand and Groundwater Extraction in France

Abstract

Sustainable groundwater quantitative management does not only depend on implementing the right water policy instruments. It also relies on enabling sectoral policies that work in synergy with water policy objectives. To explore this link, this chapter presents the evolution of European agricultural policies, their level of support to irrigated farming, and consequences for groundwater abstraction in France. Three phases are identified. Until 1992, the French government encouraged the deployment of irrigated farming through price support mechanisms, market measures, subsidies for agricultural modernisation, and large scale supply infrastructure projects. The second phase, from 1992 and 2003, is a transitional period during which agricultural policies maintained an explicit support to irrigated farming, while the first agro-environmental schemes were established. The third and on-going phase (2003–2020) is associated with the progressive removal of direct payments for irrigated crops, while rural development funding offers mixed incentives. The chapter then presents current policy instruments contributing to reduce structural water deficits due to agricultural abstraction. To date, most projects to achieve groundwater quantitative targets focus on improvements in irrigation efficiency and the building of “compensatory” water storage schemes. To meet the challenges of climate change and increased scarcity, future initiatives should focus on water savings through the diversification of agricultural and food systems.