While the kick-off of the municipal and regional elections of May 28 in Spain has been launched, the socialist government approved, Thursday, May 11, in an extraordinary Council of Ministers, an emergency aid plan to save agriculture from drought, which threatens to ruin the sector.
With our correspondent in Madrid, Diane Cambon
Spanish farmers, breeders and beekeepers will receive 2 billion euros in aid to try to overcome drought damagewhich has already caused the loss of 5 million hectares of cereals in Spain.
These subsidies are supposed to cover 70% of the costs of drought insurance. Another part of the envelope – around 636 million euros – will be direct aid. These measures were received with relief by the sector, which has planned a large demonstration by the rural world in Madrid on Sunday May 14.
Farmers and herders are on the front line of the effects of climate change, including drought. This is likely to have a significant impact on the price of food, while food inflation is already at 15%. This economic aid also aims to relieve the burden on farmers. Finally, 1.4 billion euros will be used to finance the construction of new infrastructures to remedy the water shortage. There is talk of seawater desalination plants or systems to promote the reuse of wastewater.
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