Economic characterization of irrigated and livestock farms in the Po River Basin District

This article highlights the potential for collecting and processing territorial data in order to facilitate planning and programming that respond to real local problems and include the political and regulatory framework in force. A case study is explored that involves the joint use of two databases with institutional functions: the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) and the National Information System for Water Management in Agriculture (SIGRIAN). Both databases are managed by the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA).

Those data were used to calculate economic-structural indicators for irrigated and livestock farms located in the Po River Basin District and to run the socioeconomic analysis required to update the Water Management Plan. The updating of plans is governed by the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC), which establishes the community framework for water and requires all Member States to review and update their Plan every six years. The first update deadline was December 2015 and the second one will be December 2021.

The integrated use of two databases made it possible to identify farms according to two types of irrigation: collective or self-supplied. With collective irrigation (Irrigation Water Service), the farm is a user of a Local Agency for Water Management (LAWM) that collects and distributes irrigation water. With self-supplied irrigation, the individual farmers collect and distribute water themself. The analysis carried out demonstrates the need and opportunity to develop coordinated data collection and management systems, thereby strengthening and refining the monitoring and programming of water use in line with the real needs of the territory. [Publisher's text]