At the facilities of the Maule River Surveillance Board, the entity responsible for the irrigation of more than two hundred thousand hectares in the region of the same name, an informative breakfast was held with representatives of the media to address the crisis affecting its members, whose main activity is agriculture, after the storms recorded in June and August. The meeting was headed by the president of the board, José Manuel Silva, and the technical advisor, Felipe Olivares.
During the meeting, the president highlighted the urgent need for an investment of more than 10 billion pesos for the Maule River Surveillance Board (JVRM) and an even more significant figure of 21 billion required for the Maule region. The ravages of the water crisis continue to hit our territory hard, with more than 90 thousand hectares affected in the area covered by JVRM and a figure that exceeds 170 thousand hectares in the Maule region. “Unfortunately, to date, we have not received any financial support from the State to deal with this emergency. In addition, the uncertainty regarding the start date of the irrigation season further aggravates the situation, leaving our farmers and communities in a state of deep concern and need.”.
José Manuel Silva also stressed the lack of resources that –in general- «Water Users' Organisations have to deal with situations of this magnitude and warned of the catastrophic consequences that some associations will face if they fail to complete the repairs before the end of September. The lack of water at a crucial moment can have a devastating impact on an agricultural region, such as ours, including unemployment and price increases, among other aggravating factors».
Finally, the President stressed that, although the State has shown its intention to support, no concrete actions have been materialised in economic terms. «The State has supported us, but until now, apart from the 33rd competition, no appropriate instances have been generated to access the necessary funds to carry out this work. There is a commitment, but concrete actions are lacking.»
Regarding the irrigation season, the technical advisor, Felipe Olivares, pointed out that, Despite an increase in precipitation this year, there is, however, a paradox, as snow accumulation conditions have not improved significantly compared to the previous year, remaining similar. In addition, there is growing concern related to the possibility of a warm spring, which could lead to early snowmelt and early thawing.«.
