European Water Resilience Strategy

The European Commission published the European Water Resilience Strategy in the beginning of June 2025. It is designed to strengthen the resilience, availability, and governance of water resources across Europe and globally. It aims to

• Restore and protect the water cycle.

• Build a water-smart economy to boost competitiveness and attract investments.

• Ensure clean and affordable water and sanitation for all.

Food systems – main focus on agriculture

While the strategy mentions that the production, processing, retailing, packaging and transportation of food as a whole has a profound impact on water quality and quantity, it rightly recognises agriculture specifically as a major component in water resilience.

According to the strategy, agriculture accounts for a substantial 51% of total water consumption in the EU, though this varies significantly between northern and southern Europe. Agriculture is also identified as a source of water pollution, particularly from nutrients, which impact human health and cause harmful algal blooms and oxygen depletion in aquatic ecosystems. The socio-economic losses from nitrogen emissions alone are estimated to be between EUR 75 and 485 billion a year.

Priority: tackling nutrient pollution

Urgent action is needed to tackle nutrient pollution. The strategy calls for accelerated action from source to sea, including improved implementation of the Nitrates Directive in all Member States. The Commission will assist Member States in assessing required nutrient load reductions through enhanced modelling, interactive maps, and exchanges of best practices. It will also support improved and integrated nutrient management, help fund manure storage facilities, and promote nutrient circularity to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers.

Calling for more regenerating forms of agriculture

The strategy views sustainable food systems and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as important allies for achieving water resilience. Sustainable agriculture and forest management are seen as contributing significantly to increasing water and climate resilience, helping to mitigate droughts and floods.

The strategy emphasises the need to "step up our efforts to improve water retention on land" and highlights the importance of redressing the natural sponge function of our landscapes to replenish groundwater reserves and protect biodiversity. Taking this into consideration, it supports practices such as organic farming and agroecological approaches, which benefit soil health and limit the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Other water-resilient farming practices promoted include precision farming, drip irrigation, water reuse, improved soil management, and using more climate-resistant crops. The Commission intends to continue incentivising farmers to improve their environmental and climate performance, including better water management, in the next programming period.

The strategy aims for stronger synergies between water policy and policies in sectors like agriculture. Water resilience must be fully integrated into national Restoration Plans developed by 2026, which includes nature-based solutions relevant to agriculture landscapes. The Vision for Agriculture and Food also includes support for farming practices that recover, maintain, or improve soil health to retain water.