The Generalitat de Catalunya and the board of the Urgell canal have agreed to open the modernization of irrigation to projects promoted by the communities themselves, without requiring one hundred percent global consensus among all irrigators. The new path begins with two formal requests that group four communities and initially affects 12,000 hectares spread across 14 municipalities in La Noguera, El Urgell, Les Garrigues, El Pla d'Urgell, and El Segrià.
The change breaks with one of the main blockages in the debate on the Urgell Canals, the oldest and most extensive irrigation system in Catalonia with more than 70,000 hectares. From now on, modernization will advance where there is sufficient demand, while those who do not join can maintain traditional flood irrigation.
The Generalitat opens modernization to 12,000 hectares without waiting for unanimity
The Governing Board of the CCRCU has also validated that on-farm pressure will only be implemented in areas where irrigators request it. With this decision, the five-year deadline initially planned for extending this model disappears.
Òscar Ordeig, Minister of Agriculture, defended the change in approach with a message directed at the sector. The first modernization projects could be operational in 2028, if the deadlines for their processing and execution are met.
"We have to start showing the irrigators that if it is modernized, nothing happens, on the contrary, it works and people earn more money" - Òscar Ordeig, Minister of Agriculture, Generalitat de Catalunya
The economic conditions do not change. The contribution remains at 2,311 euros per hectare, with 30-year financing and a two-year grace period, a formula that leaves an approximate installment of 120 euros per hectare per year.
In parallel, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the irrigators will study land consolidation options for the entire Urgell Canals area and will offer support to communities that request such assistance.
Two groups of irrigators gather 80% and 50% support in 14 municipalities
The first project corresponds to community one and exceeds 80% of adhesions. Its scope covers 5,055 hectares in seven municipalities in La Noguera and El Urgell, Agramunt, Preixens, Montgai, Cubells, La Sentiu de Sió, Camarasa, and Balaguer.
The second proposal groups communities 17, 18, and 19. In that case, the support reaches 50% and the plan will cover 5,754 hectares in les Borges Blanques, Juneda, Arbeca, Castelldans, Puigverd de Lleida, Torregrossa, and Lleida.
Both files form the first deployment of a broader roadmap. In September 2025, the Generalitat de Catalunya presented for the entirety of the Canals d'Urgell a 15-year comprehensive modernization plan with a budget of 1 billion euros.