Drought, agricultural emergency commissioner remains in Sicily
New state of crisis and emergency for the agricultural and livestock sector for another year. On the island, the western area is of particular concern
by Nino Amadore
3' min read
3' min read
A new state of crisis and regional emergency due to drought for the agricultural and livestock sector (the previous one had expired on 31 December 2024), which will last one year. This was decided by the Sicilian Regional Council on the proposal of the councillor for Agriculture Salvatore Barbagallo. The news coming in is not at all good, especially for western Sicily, and the region is preparing to face a new complicated season. For the implementation of urgent interventions in favour of Sicilian farmers and breeders, the President of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani, has appointed the general manager of the Agriculture Department, Fulvio Bellomo, as commissioner.
Little rain, alarm situation
.The decision, the Region explained in a note, was made necessary by the meteorological trend in the early months of 2025, which 'did not produce a satisfactory overcoming of the drought conditions that culminated in the serious crisis that affected the entire sector in the previous two years'. The effects of commissarial order no. 9 of 21 November 2024 were also extended, with which, through the commissioning of the San Carlo consortium intake, the transfer of water from the Gammauta dam, in the Palermo area, to Lake Castello, which supplies the Agrigento area for irrigation and drinking water, thus safeguarding agricultural production in the area, starting with Ribera and Bivona, was ordered.
"I express my satisfaction with the appointment of the general manager Fulvio Bellomo," says Councillor Barbagallo, "I believe that the new commissioner will be able to give impetus for the implementation of emergency interventions in agriculture aimed at overcoming critical situations.
In particular, the commissioner will have the task of identifying structural interventions in the agricultural sector to be carried out as a matter of urgency to cope with the water shortage, interventions to safeguard livestock and agricultural production.
The National Plan proposed by Cia
And in the meantime, on the drought front, to be recorded is the plan (at national level) of the Italian Farmers' Confederation, which presented the Extraordinary Action Plan on Water at Macfrut. The Italian Farmers Confederation stressed the real drama of water dispersion "which in the country has reached 72%, with a national average of 42% and serious situations for at least 50% of municipalities. Italy is living in obsolete water infrastructures, 60% of which are 30 years old, with a containment capacity at 11%, Spain and other EU countries are at 35%'.
