The moderate drought that affects the country “is worrying”, the director-general of Agriculture, Rogério Ferreira, told Lusa, assuring that the DGADR is “closely monitoring the situation and monitoring the hydro-agricultural uses” under the direct supervision of this body and “to trigger the contingency plans”.

Rogério Ferreira pointed out “the most critical points” and under “the greatest pressure” the areas of Odemira, in the Alentejo Litoral, and the Algarve, where the contingency plan will be activated to meet “the trend of increased consumption of this essential good [the water]” in activities related to agriculture.

The director-general also assured that the DGADR is “making fundamental investments” in terms of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), “for the improvement of existing infrastructure that allow for improving efficiency” in water consumption.

“There is a significant part of the investment to make use of wastewater”, he underlined, revealing that efforts are being made “not only at the level of existing surface or underground water”.