VENICE – The floods of 16 and 17 May affected 15% of the Region (among the most affected areas were the provinces of Vicenza, Padua, Venice, Verona and partly Rovigo), causing 50 million euros in damage to the primary sector. 30% of the sowings, which were carried out only a few weeks ago, were lost, corn, soybeans, wheat and various horticultural crops. These are the first estimates, by Cia Veneto, of the damage caused by the floods.
“Now we will need to proceed with new sowing – comments the president of Cia Veneto, Gianmichele Passarini – resulting in further costs for farmers. In any case, given the delay of the same, the same returns will not be obtained. A further blow for the sector, already dealing with critical issues in terms of an increase in fixed expenses, as well as incomes that are never fair”. We are called to be ready in case of extreme events, adds Passarini himself, “in a sort of climate adaptation”.
One of the solutions is the creation of new reservoirs, capable of retaining the water resource when storms occur, and then releasing it when necessary. Today Veneto manages to conserve only 5% of rainwater. Which is why, explains the president, “the Reclamation Consortia have prepared, in coordination with the Region, an invasion plan which awaits ad hoc community funding to be launched”.
The other key points are the “contrast to desertification, and therefore to the rise of the salt wedge, and the recharge of the aquifer”. “Even in this case, however, specific resources are necessary – specifies Passarini – We hope that the institutions will respond to our appeal: it is better to prevent, with adequate interventions, rather than proceed with the compensation system, which is more expensive”. Among other requests, “Avepa inspections must be activated to delimit the damaged areas, as required by Legislative Decree 102 of 2004”.
