The countryside cries out for water; the Nurra region is a desert of fields where the production of vegetables and fruit trees is compromised. The Agricultural Studies Center, the Sardinian union chaired by Tore Piana and vice president Stefano Ruggiu, is once again addressing the drought emergency and compensation for farmers. The meeting in the parish hall of Campanedda, a hamlet of Sassari, was attended by farm owners, livestock breeders, and farmers.
"The €8.8 million allocated by the Region is due compensation for the losses suffered by farmers due to the closure of the consortium water network in 2025," Piana and Ruggiu emphasize. "We are asking the Regional Department of Agriculture to prepare the implementing resolution to immediately disburse the non-repayable funds through a simplified procedure, without using the Durc (Decree of Recognition of Interest) as an obstacle. Compliance can only be verified upon payment."
The study center's leaders reiterate that the Region's delay "is absurd and inexplicable and leaves farmers in a state of total uncertainty." Meanwhile, Sassari's purified water is being discharged into the sea. "This is an unsustainable political choice," says Piana. "The Cuga basin, which currently serves a dual purpose—both civil and agricultural—needs to be reclassified so that it can be used exclusively for irrigation. Sassari's wastewater, in fact, is sufficient to satisfy the needs of the Nurra region."
A request is being made to store purified water during the winter months to make it available to farmers during drought periods. "A multi-year water distribution plan is needed to ensure production security." The countryside is a reflection of the desperation of farmers who, in addition to drought, must deal with the damage caused by the bluetongue, for which they have been awaiting compensation since 2017. "I believe it is necessary to find alternatives to recovering the lifeblood of water, including creating artificial means to collect rainwater," emphasizes Paolo Fiori, a farmer from Nurra.
The crops sacrificed include alfalfa, corn, and vegetables. "We feel abandoned by the unions," he adds. "We're experiencing an unprecedented emergency. We've reduced summer production, and the proceeds from sheep will go toward covering the costs of purchasing machinery." Angelino Olmeo owns a family-run farm in Bancali with 200 hectares of farmland. "Canceling production of this size means destroying the company," he says. "Without compensation, it means compromising last year without being able to plan for the next." The protest is also directed against the unions' absence and the Nurra Land Reclamation Consortium, "which must stand up for the farmers."
