Over 40% of the EU’s water use is on agriculture, and most of the freshwater abstraction is for agricultural use in countries like Greece, Spain, and Cyprus.
Approximately 84% of the economic impact of drought falls on agriculture and farmers, which often results in smallholder farms having to stop their activity or to transition to more drought-resistant crops.
Under a 2°C temperature rise scenario, droughts are estimated to cause €12.2 billion losses per year.
82% of the Greek population and GDP currently come from areas of high or extreme drought risk and 74% of Spanish lands are at risk of desertification.
Water scarcity will lead to €12.2 billion losses per year and affect 17% of the EU population.
Up to 13% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of EU industries will be at risk due to water scarcity.
17% of the EU population will face a high risk of water scarcity.
50% of the losses will affect southern EU and Mediterranean regions, with countries like Spain and Greece expected to face severe droughts.
The RAINS project is tackling water scarcity and extreme weather conditions in EU agriculture by testing practical solutions like biofertilisers, improved soil water retention, and smart tools such as Optifangs-IA and WaterIQ. Working across demo farms in Greece and Spain, it aims to improve water efficiency by 50% on 12,700 hectares, support over 500 farmers, and save €6.1 billion, 244 million litres of water, and 35 tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2050.
17 Nov 2026
Location: Finca Sinyent, Valencia
Temática: AceptaciĂłn social y barreras regulatorias que dificultan la adopciĂłn de soluciones sostenibles de riego y fertilizaciĂłn. Objetivo Principal: Involucrar a los usuarios finales y a los principales grupos de interĂ©s en la identificaciĂłn de las barreras sociales,…
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21 Oct 2026
On 14 and 15 October the 4th RAINS General Assembly took place in Lesvos, Greece! Hosted by ΕΛΓΟ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ ELGO DΙΜITRA, the…
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14 Oct 2026
Sewage sludge can provide valuable nutrients for agricultural soils, but its use requires careful management. Understanding its composition and determining the right…
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Coordinated by SAV and comprising 17 partners from 6 countries, this 4-year (2024–2028) €4.8 million Horizon project contributes to improved water efficiency and supports farmers in transitioning to more sustainable irrigation systems.
