Water Resources Management in Agriculture under Drought and Water Shortage Conditions: A Case Study in Southern Italy

An example of water resources management in agriculture applied to a southern Italian study area is presented. In the context of a proactive approach, the steps followed for the developing of three Plans are described: an Agricultural Strategic Water Shortage Preparedness Plan (ASP), aimed at reducing the vulnerability of the water supply system through the use of long term mitigation measures in normal conditions, an Agricultural Water Supply System Management Plan (AMP), to be executed when the water shortage event is happening, and finally an Agricultural Drought Contingency Plan (ACP), that have to be adopted when the oncoming event involves a heavy impact. The developing of the three Plans requires the use of suitable tools for the simulation of the scenarios representing the adoption of different alternatives, and for the choice, through multicriteria decision analysis techniques, of the preferable alternatives minimizing the level of subjectivity in the selection process. The choice of appropriate drought indices is also relevant, both for the identification of the critical areas interested by drought risk, and to activate the planned measures for preventing or mitigating the impacts. Finally, the involvement of the stakeholders during the planning process is very important, in order to develop transparent and shared plans, leading to efficient and not extemporaneous actions.