The south of the island continues to deal with a water crisis which, in some areas such as the upper Cixerri and part of Sulcis, has reached emergency levels.
Coldiretti Cagliari is raising the alarm, highlighting how the situation remains critical, with reservoirs at worrying levels and restrictions on water use still in place.
According to the latest report from the River Basin Authority, the situation remains unchanged from recent weeks, further exacerbating uncertainty for farmers and ranchers, already strained by months of water shortages.
"The situation is unsustainable," says Giorgio Demurtas, president of Coldiretti Cagliari. "The stopgap solutions adopted so far are no longer sufficient: structural interventions are needed to support the reservoirs, increase their capacity, and improve infrastructure. Only in this way can we guarantee stability for agricultural businesses and the entire region."
The organization's director, Giuseppe Casu, also insists on the need for a change of pace: "We need a clear strategy for Sardinia's water future. We can no longer face every summer with water up to our necks, literally."
A positive sign comes from the Ballao district, where the Region has entrusted the management of the local irrigation district to the Southern Sardinia Land Reclamation Consortium . This decision has been welcomed by Coldiretti, which calls it "a virtuous example to follow."
"Restoring centrality to the Land Reclamation Consortia means putting farmers back at the center of decisions that affect their future," Casu emphasizes. "They are local entities that understand real needs and can act more quickly than regional bureaucracy."
Coldiretti warns that without structural interventions there is a risk not only of bringing the local agricultural economy to its knees, but also of accelerating the depopulation of the countryside .
"Every crisis that affects agriculture and livestock farming," adds Casu, "drives people away from rural areas, leaving entire swathes unprotected and increasing the risk of fires, environmental degradation, and the loss of cultural identity."
The association concludes with an appeal to regional policymakers to shift from emergency management to long-term planning.
"Every euro invested today in planning and prevention is worth more than compensation tomorrow," Demurtas and Casu reiterate. "It's time to plan, not to chase."
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)
