The Canary Government to Increase Agricultural Irrigation Water Supply by 2,500 m³/Day with New Desalination Plant in Fuerteventura
The Minister of Agriculture and the President of the Cabildo visited the new facility located at the Gran Tarajal Desalination Plant (EDAM). This project represents an investment of €1.6 million on the island, as part of the regional government’s plan to provide ten new desalination plants for agricultural irrigation across the Canary Islands.
On Saturday, 6th September, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty for the Canary Government, Narvay Quintero, and the President of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, Lola García, toured the island’s new desalination plant, set to be operational by the end of the month. The facility boasts a production capacity of 2,500 m³ of water daily, aimed at enhancing the available water resources for agricultural irrigation. Located at the Gran Tarajal Desalination Plant (EDAM), this installation, developed by the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands (ITC) and known for its energy efficiency in desalination, has required an investment of around €1.6 million. This is part of a larger regional government initiative to establish ten similar facilities for a total expenditure of €13.4 million.
They were joined during the visit by the Director General of Livestock, Andrés Díaz Matoso; the island councillor for Water, Education and Youth, Primary Sector and Waste, Adargoma Hernández; the Mayor of Tuineje, Candelaria Umpiérrez; and the manager of the Fuerteventura Water Supply Consortium (CAAF), Francisco Hormiga.
Minister Narvay Quintero stated, “The new desalination plant will be complemented by improvements to the network in the central-southern part of the island to address the needs of Fuerteventura’s farmers in light of water resource scarcity.” He added that “for the second consecutive year, the Canary Government has granted extraordinary aid to mitigate the effects of drought across the Archipelago, which, combined with last year’s measures, amounts to €7.9 million directed at providing immediate support to over 3,000 affected producers.”
Furthermore, President Lola García emphasised that, “At the Cabildo, we plan and expedite projects aimed at improving agricultural water in Fuerteventura, thereby fulfilling one of the primary demands of our primary sector.” She also added that “the new desalination plant stands out for its energy efficiency, thanks to the work of the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands (ITC).”
Financed through the Rural Development Programme (PDR) via the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and additional funds from the regional government, along with a contribution of €70,000 from the Cabildo for installation costs, the new Gran Tarajal plant will help increase agricultural water usage on the island while improvements and expansions of the irrigation infrastructure are carried out.
In this context, the Canary Government will allocate a total of €10.85 million for irrigation networks and infrastructure on the island. This total includes the €1.6 million earmarked for the new desalination plant and a further €9.25 million for the “Accessor Work for the Modernisation and Improvement of Irrigation in the Central-Southern Area of Fuerteventura, covering the municipalities of Tuineje and Pájara.”
These projects will complement the work being carried out under an agreement between the Cabildo, via the Fuerteventura Water Supply Consortium (CAAF), and the State Mercantile Society for Agricultural Infrastructures (SEIASA). “We are moving this project forward with utmost urgency, amounting to over €13 million and benefiting 289 irrigators cultivating 152 hectares,” concluded Lola García.
