The aim of this work is to evaluate the sustainability of water management for agriculture in a specific territory through the creation of a synthetic index resulting from the aggregation of multiple indices (environmental, economic, and social). The resulting synthetic index can be used to set sustainability standards and to guide the choices mandated by the Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027. In this work we intend to show how the Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method facilitates a complex process such as establishing a degree of sustainability in a certain area and, therefore, provides support to national or regional policies and communities. The integration of MCDA and GIS increases the efficiency of the support activity. A case study is presented evaluating the level of sustainability in the Irrigation and Reclamation Consortium of Piacenza and Emilia Centrale, in the Emilia Romagna region.

Wetlands have a fundamental role in the maintenance and development of the global ecosystem and human health. Assessing the value of Ecosystem Services (ES) that wetlands provide is strictly related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This paper considers the Oristanese Reclamation District located in the Italian region of Sardinia, where the highest amount of water resources is used for irrigation. Moreover, the study area is characterized by the presence of numerous ponds and wetlands that are deeply interconnected with local agriculture, attracting a substantial number of tourists. This paper aims to evaluate the touristic value in the area by applying the travel cost method, a non-market evaluation method used to derive consumers’ preferences. Through secondary data, we obtained a total estimate of economic benefits from the recreational uses of the site of approximately €1.25 Mln/year. The results provide support to decision-makers for improving management options while ensuring a tradeoff between the economic benefits derived from tourist activities and the conservation of the wetland area.

The irrigation water requirements of different crops are becoming a pivotal driver for the governance strategies of water allocation and management. This paper estimates the impact of irrigation water requirements on economic value in terms of the yields and gross saleable production of 13 different crops cultivated in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) over the 2010–2020 period by exploiting a generalized propensity score matching approach. Results show that the overall irrigation water requirements affect crops’ economic value. There is a causal effect of water irrigation on economic value: positive only for high levels of water irrigation in the case of yields, while it reverses and assumes a concave shape for gross saleable production. However, the effect is mediated by the irrigation water requirements of different crops. In water scarcity conditions, the allocation of water to arboreal crops, given the effect of water irrigation on gross saleable production, is also positive for small quantities of water. This paper can help guide the design of more sustainable water management strategies and agricultural development policies to face climate change.

Irrigation plays a pivotal role in Southern Europe, and its importance is expected to further increase due to rising climatic variability. Concurrently, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) mandates the safeguarding of water bodies and the implementation of incentive pricing strategies to promote efficient water management. Within this context, Irrigation Scheduling Decision Support Systems (IS-DSS) could contribute to the achievement of these objectives, although there are still obstacles to their adoption due to uncertainties regarding their potential benefits. This paper aims to derive a pricing model that reflects actual water use through the adoption of an IS-DSS. The innovation of this study lies in showing that adopting an IS-DSS to reduce irrigation volumes can potentially lower concession fees in collective irrigation systems. Thus, it contributes to the fulfilment of the WFD’s objectives regarding incentive water pricing. Notably, the tool is evaluated using the case study of a farm located in the Mediterranean region. The results demonstrate the dual benefits of IS-DSS adoption: on the one hand, it helps preserve water resources with a 24% reduction in irrigation volumes; on the other, it decreases irrigation costs by 20% at the farm level and by 9.4% at the irrigation district level. Therefore, the presented study provides insights into the potential of IS-DSS to enhance water pricing policies to promote efficient water management in Southern European agriculture in alignment with the WFD requirements.

In the context of climate change, one of the EU’s major political efforts focus on water management. Public investment is carried out considering several drivers, from economic development to demographics, climate, and pollutants. Meanwhile, the need for evaluation methods is also increasing, so their development has grown in recent years. Among these, Multi-Criteria Analysis methodologies (MCA) have taken on great importance. This work aims to demonstrate the usefulness of MCA in addressing crucial environmental issues, such as the use of water resources for agricultural and food production. The document presents an application of MCA for the ranking and selection of projects to be financed under the Italian National Plan on Water Resources. The Plan is part of the national initiatives planned for the adaptation of the agricultural sector to climate change. The selection criteria have been identified following a participatory approach, and to respond to both the challenge of climate change and the limited availability of funds. MCA is used to select the best projects to be financed with the available amount. The Italian experience confirms the effectiveness of MCA and highlights how the involvement of both decision makers and stakeholders is necessary for a successful application of MCA to environmental issues.

Climate change affects all aspects of human life, and understanding citizens’ views from a policy perspective is crucial for policymakers to develop future financial programs. In Italy, local agencies for water management (LAWMs), historically linked to irrigation and land reclamation, have expanded their role to address environmental challenges. Their modern functions encompass multifunctional strategies aimed at guaranteeing environmental benefits such as groundwater recharge, prevention of hydrogeological disasters, restoration of biodiversity, and natural water purification. This research conducts a discrete choice experiment to analyze citizens’ awareness and willingness to pay regarding the link between LAWMs’ actions and climate change environmental benefits. The findings indicate that respondents are willing to pay a larger amount to support the prevention of hydrological disasters and the restoration of biodiversity. Additionally, over 87% of our sample chose to pay specific amounts rather than maintain the status quo. This percentage varies depending on three factors: recognizing humans as the primary cause of climate change, embracing new policies, and age. However, there is a gap between the willingness to pay for the benefits studied and the importance respondents place on the LAWMs’ actions required to achieve them. Environmental education and participatory solutions to involve citizens in climate change strategies will promote stronger awareness of sustainable policies, an essential factor to improve governance performance.