The Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau indicated his wish to accelerate the construction of mega-basins during a trip to Vendée this Monday, January 22.
Monday January 22, the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau was traveling to Sainte-Hermine in Vendée to reaffirm his support for the “virtuous system” which constitutes the creation of mega-basins, these additional water reserves allowing farmers to in the face of climate change. In this sense, the minister announced that a law to simplify administrative procedures for farmers could see the light of day in the spring. “The processing times for a certain number of procedures (…) are far too long,” he said. These measures are seen by farmers as the assurance of a harvest in the face of recurring episodes of drought.
The Minister of Agriculture also announced the launch of a “hydraulic fund” which follows the government’s “Water Plan”, presented at the beginning of 2023. The objective is to help farmers invest in water storage projects. water, reuse of wastewater in fields or even modernization of hydraulic systems. 20 million euros should be released for this hydraulic fund from 2024 according to information from La Tribune. “Water savings must be made per hectare in the agricultural sector, by investing in particular in the most efficient irrigation equipment possible and/or by changing crop rotations” indicates a note from the administration.
This Monday, Marc Fesneau was also very clear regarding state support. Projects will continue to be supported “in areas where aquifers load and discharge quickly,” he said. The latter firmly assured that “nothing will discourage public authorities” and that it was necessary to facilitate the deployment of this type of device because “the reserves make it possible to manage arrhythmia” in other words, the overflow of water winter and lack in summer. Finally, a pact presented in mid-December 2023 to promote generational renewal in agriculture provides for granting a “presumption of urgency” in the event of litigation. The goal is to judge this type of case as a priority.
These large water reserves are regularly the scene of degradation. The substitute reserve for agricultural irrigation in Sainte-Soline notably triggered violent clashes in March 2023. These developments remain at the heart of a major water use conflict in France. Critics of these mega-basins denounce the control of large producers over water, for the benefit of agro-industry and particularly for export. A mobilization against mega-basins is already planned for July 2024 in Poitou.