Climate-resilient and less water-intensive crops and cropping systems

Climate-resilient and less water-intensive crops and cropping systems

Addressing water scarcity and climate variability through adaptive crops and cropping practices

Climate change is affecting agriculture differently across Europe. Weather is less predictable, with more extreme weather events. This has an impact on crops and cropping systems. Crops that are currently grown in the south of Europe may move further north, while drought resistant systems may be needed in the south. More diverse cropping systems, including perennial and deep-rooting crops, may overall be more suitable than large monocultures in the context of climate change.

Thematic work

Thematic Group on Improving Water Resilience in Rural Areas through the CAP

Fully utilising the CAP’s potential for improving water resilience in rural areas and promoting more systemic transformative changes in the way water and land are managed to improve rural climate resilience.

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Related news

Network to innovate: Crop Biodiversity
16 May 2023

Network to innovate: Crop Biodiversity

Watch the replay from this knowledge exchange event on projects from Nordic-Baltic countries, which are directly related to crop biodiversity

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Delivering sustainable crop solutions
11 Apr 2023

Delivering sustainable crop solutions

CropLife Europe is an organisation which represents the crop protection industry, working together to find and promote sustainable, innovative, science-based crop protection solutions.

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI

Related publications

Improved water resilience in rural areas - Compendium of good practice examples
Briefings |

Improved water resilience in rural areas - Compendium of good practice examples

This briefing presents a selection of CAP Strategic Plan interventions, projects and initiatives that aim to improve water resilience in rural areas through technical solutions, landscape approaches, improved water governance, and knowledge sharing.

  • CAP Implementation
Visual identity - TG Water Resilience
Event Reports |

2nd Thematic Group meeting on Improving Water Resilience in Rural Areas through the CAP

This was the second and last meeting of this Thematic Group (TG), which examine how to best utilise the CAP’s potential for improving water resilience in rural areas.

  • CAP Implementation
Policy Insights - Water efficiency for rural Europe
Policy Insights |

Water efficiency for rural Europe

This edition of the Policy Insights series highlights how the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) can help rural Europe use water wisely by better protecting both the quality and quantity of EU water reserves.

  • CAP Implementation

Related events

Focus group

Focus Group Regenerative agriculture for soil health - 2nd meeting

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Calendar
Conference

Seeds of the Mediterranean: Water Management in Agriculture

  • CAP Implementation
  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Calendar

Related good practices

Man stands in field trials irrigation system
Inspirational Idea | 05 Nov 2025

Smart water management system to improve crop yield while using less water

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Demo Trials
Inspirational Idea | 20 Feb 2026

Demo Trials

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
A field of trees with a hill in the background.
Inspirational Idea | 02 Oct 2024

A sustainable model for reusing water for olive groves

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
07 Dec 2022

Inspirational idea: New machinery for soil health in arable crop production

Faced with new climate scenarios, Italian Operational Group AGRIBIOCONS is experimenting with techniques which support soil health in arable crop production for chicken feed. This project aims to preserve and improve physicochemical and microbiological properties of soils.

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI

Water and soil

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Circular water management

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Nature-based solutions

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Water quality / water pollution

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Sustainable soil management for healthy soil

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Irrigation efficiency, precision irrigation, digital tools

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