The government of the Spanish region Aragon plans to fund 29 projects to modernise and improve irrigation systems with a total of €22.2 million. The proposal was published in the regional official gazette on 11 November 2026. This does not yet constitute final approval.
The projects are located in the three Aragonese provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza. According to Europa Press, six larger projects for comprehensive modernisation are planned, with a total budget of around €14.31 million. Nine larger projects to improve and adapt existing systems are set to receive around €6.89 million in total. Just under one million euros is allocated to 14 smaller projects.
The proposed recipients include the irrigation communities of Alcañiz and Valmuel in the province of Teruel, as well as communities in Zaidín and San Esteban de Litera in Huesca. In the province of Zaragoza, a community belonging to the Bardenas irrigation systems is among those listed.
According to an analysis of the official gazette by the FactBox portal, 36 applications were submitted in total. Six were excluded from the competitive assessment. Of the remaining 30 projects, 29 appear on the provisional funding list and one on a reserve list. The eligible costs taken into account for the proposed projects amount to around €48.9 million. This figure should not be equated with the amount of grants requested.
The 2026 call for applications was published in January. It forms part of Spain’s strategic plan for the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. Under the call’s terms, both the comprehensive renewal of traditional irrigation systems and improvements to existing infrastructure are eligible for funding. This may include pipelines, reservoirs, and control and measurement systems. According to the call, projects that increase the irrigated area are not eligible for funding.
According to Europa Press, the proposed projects include work on reservoirs and distribution networks, as well as digital control systems and photovoltaic installations for pumps. The measures to be implemented will depend on the further proceedings.
Those affected may submit objections within five working days from the day after publication. The process is then expected to continue until a final decision is made. According to Europa Press, funding decisions will be notified to beneficiaries individually.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).