After several months of preparation, our Slovak case study leader, the Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA) in Nitra, was thrilled to kick off its first stakeholder workshop on Climate-resilient water management for agriculture, citizens and ecosystems in the southwestern part of Slovakia!
All relevant stakeholders, including vulnerable groups and minorities, were invited to take part in the discussions, which took place on April 19, 2024 in the conference room of the AgroBioTech Research Center.
Climate change has a major impact on the quantity and quality of water for agriculture, energy, industry, citizens and ecosystems.
The aim of the expert event was to promote strong, integrated, sustainable and inclusive water management and information exchange among key stakeholders and decision makers.
The discussion focused on improving governance practices in the face of challenges such as floods, droughts, water insecurity, desertification and biodiversity loss, as well as land fragmentation in the western part of Slovakia.
The workshop specifically addressed:
- The implementation of SUA Strategic Plan measures in the area of blue infrastructure such as water conservation measures and facilities, rehabilitation of hydromulsification and irrigation infrastructure.
- The modification of legislation, regulations and policies related to agriculture, energy, municipalities and ecosystems
- Climate change impacts and measures to combat climate change
- Opportunities to improve cooperation between decision-makers
- The sustainability of agriculture and water management in relation to nature conservation and
- The promotion of natural ecosystems
- The involvement of stakeholders in discussions and solutions, including vulnerable stakeholders
Recommendations for decision-makers
1. Apply a system of inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral cooperation in the management of water resources. Use the modern WEFE Nexus system and manage water resources in collaboration with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
2. Accelerate and ensure the continuous commissioning of comprehensive land development projects that lead to the settlement of property rights and also allow for the implementation of green and blue infrastructure elements with a positive impact on water retention in the landscape.
3. Restore existing water sources
a. Clean water reservoirs of sediments that reduce their capacity by up to two thirds. This requires changing the Act on land application of sewage sludge and bottom sediments. The current wording of the law only permits the application of bottom sediments with a minimum organic matter content of 18 per cent by dry weight to agricultural or forest land. This is an unrealistically high value, which far exceeds the standard organic matter content. Such a value makes clean-up impossible.
b. Replace pump stations with new ones with substantially lower electricity consumption. In fact, high electricity consumption significantly increases the cost of irrigation.
4. In order to increase water retention in the landscape, tighten the Soil Conservation Act regarding erosion. The soil erosion limit needs to be reduced from the current up to 40t/ha to a sustainable level. This limit leads to soil degradation. In comparison, the limit applied in the Czech Republic is 9 t/ha. Tightening the limit will have a positive impact on water retention in the landscape as it has a direct impact on crop rotation and maximum area per crop. The Central Agricultural Inspection and Testing Institute (ÚKSUP) is responsible for monitoring compliance with the limit. Water erosion is directly influenced by the method of ploughing along the contour line or along the fallow line.
5. The establishment of new and extension of existing irrigation systems is recommended:
a. Simplification of the permitting of small water structures
b. Defining small water retaining structures for notification
c. Adjusting the current irrigation thresholds for EIA
d. Rehabilitation of existing irrigation without EIA
e. Reassessment of the justification of existing reclamation structures due to climate change
f. Preparation of the implementation of the reclaimed water regulation
