The Economics of Water and Agriculture: Water quantity and quality issues in Mediterranean Agriculture

The high demand of water resources for irrigation purposes is the cause of significant water quantity and quality problems in the Mediterranean countries. The reliance of the Water Framework Directive on water pricing may fail in these countries, sicne water pricing is quite complex to implement in irrigated agriculture, efficiency of water pricing is questionable, and its political acceptability remains to be seen. This calls for alternative directive instruments, such as the re-allocation of water from off-stream use by agricultral, urban and industrial users to environmental uses both in aquifers and streams, and also in the coastal wetlands. Pollution control instruments such as ambient quality standards and pollution emission limits are also needed.