Fecoam calls for a national water pact to respond to water scarcity in its region

The president of the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of the Region of Murcia (Fecoam), Santiago Martínez, has highlighted how the solution to the water shortage that is suffering his region “must be sought in a national water pact that includes all the needs, both of the infrastructures of some areas and the water resources for others”. Martínez, who warned of this endemic problem of lack of water, taking advantage of the celebration of the XXXII Assembly of his Federation, has insisted that “the available water of the transfer is very scarce”, to which the situation of the aquifers is added, “that in a few years will not be able to be used, reason why it is urgent to face the substitution of flows”.

Other challenges that focused the General Assembly of Fecoam, which was attended by more than 400 cooperatives throughout the Region of Murcia, were agricultural insurance and the fight against the submerged economy

This annual meeting of the Murcia agrarian cooperatives, held on April 28th in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, coinciding with the celebration of the Jubilee Year, has served to continue to demand solutions and a greater commitment from the regional government to the sector. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Environment of the Region of Murcia, Adela Martínez-Cachá and the mayor of Caravaca, Juan José Moreno, along with representatives of more than 40 agro-food companies in the Region, Business organizations and political parties.

Within the water problem, another of the points treated was the situation of the Campo de Cartagena. According to the president of Fecoam, “our demand is to carry out the necessary actions to be able to have water, starting with the arrangement of the pipeline to collect the waste and shortening the environmental impact”.

Regarding agricultural insurance, Santiago Martínez referred to it as “the only tool in the sector against possible problems in the field”. Therefore, he has requested the renewal of the aid by the regional administration, together “with reinforced policies for insured products”.

There was also room to talk about the fight against the submerged economy in the sector, something that, as the president of Fecoam put it, provokes an “unfair and uncontrolled competitiveness of products”.

Gold Badge and Cooperative Award of the Year

In the closing events, two awards were given by the Federation of Cooperatives each year, the Gold Badge and the Cooperative of the Year Award. The Golden Badge of the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives 2017 recognized the work of the endocrinologist and nutritionist Juan Madrid in their defense and promotion of the consumption of a balanced diet.

Likewise, the agrarian organization wanted to recognize the personal and professional trajectory of Tomás Buitrago Olivares, granting him the Cooperative of the Year award. Buitrago is president of the cooperative Fruit and Citrus of Mula. Under his leadership, the company has become a source of employment and wealth for the Muleño municipality.

In order to close the event, the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Environment of the Region, Adela Martínez-Cachá, stated that the Administration intends to continue supporting and working “jointly” with agrarian organizations, highlighting the work of the Cooperativism “as a fundamental engine for the development of rural areas”.

Source: FECOAM

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