The project LIFE AgroClimaWater puts into practice the EWS standard of the European Water Partnership (EWP) in Farmers Organizations for the development and implementation of water management systems and adaptation strategies to climate change, which include:

1. Good Agricultural Practices at farm scale to enhance water efficiency and adaptability of perennial crops (olives, citrus fruits and peaches) to climate change.

2. Governance actions to be implemented by the FORs in order to achieve equitable and transparent water governance.

3. Floods and droughts action plan to ensure preparation and response to environmental incidents caused by climate change.

The voluntary compliance EWS standard of the European Water Partnership provides concrete assistance for water users to become Good Water Stewards in their river basin. It is based on and organized in four Principles that promote: Sustainable Water Abstraction, Good Water Status, High Conservation Value Area protection and Equitable Water Governance. Water users that evaluate and adjust their performance according to the EWS standard will have incorporated all the essential points in their water management strategy for continuous improvement!

More information about EWS standard in EWP website: www.ewp.eu/stewardship

In the frame of LIFE AgroClimaWater, agricultural practices are going to be implemented in ten (10) orchards per pilot area to improve water management. These practices are expected to:

1. Reduce water evaporation losses from soil. Practice: mulching. Potential water losses reduction up to 60%.

2. Reduce transpiration water losses. Practices: appropriate summer and winter pruning and weed mowing. Potential water losses reduction up to 30%.

3. Reduce deep percolation water and nutrient losses. Practices: Increase of soil organic matter and fertigation. Potential water and nutrient losses reduction up to 30%.

4. Reduce surface runoffs. Practices: maintenance of natural vegetation in rainy season and introduction of barriers perpendicular to the slope. Potential water losses reduction up to 50% and soil losses reduction up to 90%.

5. Reduce irrigation water consumption. Practices: Irrigation based on meteorological data, application of deficit irrigation and optimization of irrigation system. Potential reduction of irrigation water losses up to 20%.

The effectiveness of the cultivation practices on enhancing water use efficiency and trees’ productivity will be evaluated through application on the field and monitoring for a period of three years.