Le manque d'eau est criant chaque été dans le sud de la France. MAXPPP – Guillaume Bonnefont
Un manifeste "pour une gestion durable et innovante de l’eau en Occitanie" a été paraphé ce mercredi à Montpellier par l’ensemble des acteurs et des secteurs d’activités concernés.
The five farmers from Gard and Hérault who came to debate on Tuesday at the editorial office of Midi Libre, expressed it bluntly: “Without water, no agriculture”.
This shows the major challenge that water management represents in Occitanie, and not only for the agricultural or viticultural sectors, whether it concerns tourism or industry activities, or simply considering the daily life of the inhabitants of this territory.
“Sustainable and innovative management”
A observation around which all the signatories of the manifesto “for sustainable and innovative water management in Occitania” agreed, this Wednesday, in the premises of the Midi Libre headquarters..
The signatories of the manifesto, gathered and making a common front, this Wednesday, at the headquarters of Midi Libre. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON
Or the leaders and representatives, all at the regional level, of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, the CCI, the Chamber of Agriculture, the Chamber of Trades and Crafts, the Agricultural Cooperation, the Association of Food Companies, the Federation of Outdoor Hotels, the Young Farmers, the FRSEA, and the Consumers Association.
Occitanie as “an El Dorad'eau”?
And Gérard Bertrand, present “as a winemaker, Occitan citizen and economic player”, as he introduced himself. Before stating that he was campaigning for “Occitania to be an El Dorad'eau”.
Because, as it is written in the second paragraph of this manifesto, the question of water management, and the objective of securing the water supply throughout the territory, is at the heart of a vital project for Occitania.
Responding “to vital needs”
A region that must“preserve all these sustainable development capacities for a production economy that meets the vital needs of six million inhabitants who will be seven million in 2050.”
And each speaker, from the president of the Ceser Jean-Louis Chauzy to that of the Chamber of Agriculture Denis Carretier, pleaded in favor of a “united front”, the interests of each of the parties concerned (the economic world, the agricultural and wine sectors, the tourism sector) converging to ensure the vitality of a vast territory of thirteen departments, some of which, the Pyrénées-Orientales in particular, are already facing a long and historic episode of drought.
“There is “There is an urgent need to develop a plan and finance it” the ten participants also unanimously argued. By already exploring a few avenues, among which the storage of water from autumn and winter rains received a form of general approval.
And Denis Carretier thundered: “Now, to move forward, we must wake up Parisians on this subject. For a real awareness. And alert the President of the Region, the Prefect of the Region, and their services. To tell them that in an exceptional situation, exceptional measures are needed. That is the meaning of this appeal from Montpellier, launched on January 22, the day of Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winegrowers!”