France

Abstract

The development of irrigation in France is several centuries old. During the twentieth century the state constructed most of the irrigation networks. Individual irrigation development dates back to the 1960s and is characterized by an easier uptake of technological innovations. Today, the total equipped area is leveling off, and trends include a development of drip irrigation and the near disappearance of gravity irrigation. Public policies with a direct or indirect impact on irrigation have also changed significantly in recent decades. Agricultural policies, once very favorable to the development of irrigation, have moved to policies that are increasingly oriented toward the protection of water resources. In some basins, farmers face severe administrative reduction of their pumping authorization. Water resources management at the watershed or territory levels also changed significantly. In basins facing large quantitative deficits, special institutions are created to manage the volume of water available for agriculture. However, concerns remain regarding the effectiveness of such institutions and more generally the future of irrigation in a context of global change.