Cases of Best Practices for Agriculture and Water

Prepared by

Marisa Arpels & Kara Reeve

Agrotourism - Types

1) Napa Valley: Hedonistic Tourism

Culinary tradition, pastoral landscapes, history, recreational activity

2) Pomerania: Agricultural Immersion Experience

Farm labor, pastoral landscapes, means to rural development

Agrotourism for Albacete

Hedonistic tourism may be best alternative, given desire to decrease water use, while maintaining rural tradition

Immersion tourism is difficult to find strong, positive cases of profitability (and demand has been low in Albacete to date)

Opportunity for Viniculture culture; secano tourism around olive and almonds

Urban residents in Albacete region and even Madrid

Linking to historic sites and former cattle roads

Intensive Agriculture

Case Study: Israeli Agriculture

Increased efficiency through drip irrigation

Alternative sources of water (ie. Urban wastewater)

Local food production and export Strong financial incentives for lower

water use Dry land agriculture such as

almonds and olives, combined with agritourism

Intensive Agriculture in Albacete

Subsidization of drip irrigation combined with lower water allocation per farm

Reuse potential from Albacete wastewater

Financial incentives for low water use crops using current regulatory structure

However, can increase salinity levels in soil and if not well monitored can lead to aquifer depletion

Groundwater Protection

Case Study: Mono Lake (California) Strong regulation Incentives for higher urban and rural water efficiency Decrease in surface water transfer for water banking purposesOther options: Sellable or lease-able water permits Water banking through artificial re-charge In Albacete, there is the potential to use water banking – not through artificial -- reinjection but

rather payments to farmers to limit or not use water or potentially surface transfer.

Data Needed

Soil type / productivity Climate and precipitation Connection to roads and proximity to cultural sites and urban

centers Irrigation practice Aquifer level and wells Water demand by type Erosion Land use and crops