MEP Daniel Buda (PPE) has called on the European Commission to propose an integrated European framework for water security in agriculture, warning that without accelerated investment in storage, irrigation efficiency, and local governance, regional disparities could widen and threaten food security.
In a written parliamentary question submitted on 14 June 2026, Buda asks whether the Commission intends to develop a roadmap or other measures to ensure water security in agriculture, including water sharing during crises. He specifically requests a map of areas affected by water scarcity and vulnerability, dedicated funding for sustainable smart irrigation, water retention, water reuse, and digitalisation of consumption, as well as differentiated support for regions most exposed to drought and desertification.
The question reflects growing concern among EU farmers over the impact of climate change on water availability. Buda, a Romanian MEP from the centre-right European People's Party, frames water access as a strategic issue of economic survival and food security, not merely a technical production factor. He notes that while good practices and innovative solutions exist in rural areas, they remain scattered and lack coherent European support.
The Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether the executive is prepared to move toward a more centralised, EU-level approach to agricultural water management, or whether it prefers to leave such measures to member states. Buda's question touches on a key cleavage between EU-level coordination and national sovereignty over water resources, with potential major impacts on farmers in drought-prone regions, EU agricultural competitiveness, and the bloc's food security strategy. The request for dedicated funding also raises questions about the EU budget and the balance between support for exposed regions and uniform rules across member states.