Regadíos agrícolas, territorio y desarrollo rural

This article analyses how the topics linked to water management have changed in social perception and political agenda in Spain. From a hydraulic and agricultural-oriented logic it has shifted toward other more integral and multifunctional one, where the Ministry of Environment is the most relevant player. In such a social and political context, the new orientations of rural development policies are analysed, particularly in relation to the sustainable management of water resources in farming sector and their implications on territory. The authors propose a typology of irrigable areas in Spain, and analyse the process of implementation of the new European Regulation on Rural Development (Reg. 1690/2005). The conclusion is that this new policy could be a useful tool to promote the environmental sustainability of these areas only if there was a good coordination between agricultural and environmental departments at the regional level.En este artículo se analiza la percepción social y política de los temas relacionados con la gestión del agua en España, mostrando cómo se ha pasado de una lógica hidráulica y sectorial (agraria), canalizada a través de los ministerios de Obras Públicas y Agricultura, a otra integral y multifuncional, en la que se valoran sus implicaciones territoriales y en la que asume protagonismo el ministerio de Medio Ambiente. En ese contexto, se analizan las nuevas orientaciones de las políticas de desarrollo rural, especialmente en lo relacionado con la gestión sostenible de los recursos hídricos en la agricultura y sus efectos sobre el territorio. La diversidad del regadío agrícola en España es analizada por los autores, proponiendo una tipología de zonas regables con problemas de eficiencia, y valorando en qué medida las acciones contempladas en el nuevo Reglamento europeo de Desarrollo Rural (FEADER) pueden ser un instrumento útil para avanzar en la sostenibilidad ambiental de dichas áreas. La conclusión de los autores es que la utilidad de esta nueva política de desarrollo rural dependerá de que exista una adecuada cooperación entre los departamentos de agricultura y medio ambiente a nivel regional

REGADÍOS AGRÍCOLAS, TERRITORIO Y DESARROLLO RURAL

This article analyses how the topics linked to water management have changed in social perception and political agenda in Spain. From a hydraulic and agricultural-oriented logic it has shifted toward other more integral and multifunctional one, where the Ministry of Environment is the most relevant player. In such a social and political context, the new orientations of rural development policies are analysed, particularly in relation to the sustainable management of water resources in farming sector and their implications on territory. The authors propose a typology of irrigable areas in Spain, and analyse the process of implementation of the new European Regulation on Rural Development (Reg. 1690/2005). The conclusion is that this new policy could be a useful tool to promote the environmental sustainability of these areas only if there was a good coordination between agricultural and environmental departments at the regional level.Peer reviewe