During his speech, Pérez highlighted the efficient and responsible use of water by the province of Alicante, considering it a vital resource for generating employment and wealth. He argued that environmental sustainability only achieves its full value when accompanied by social and economic sustainability.
Accompanied by the president of the Generalitat, Juan Francisco Pérez Llorca, the mayor of Elche, Pablo Ruz, vice-president Ana Serna, and professor Joaquín Melgarejo, Pérez opened this event, driven by the Provincial Council, the Elche City Council, and the University of Alicante, which this year focuses on food security.
The Alicante leader pointed out that awareness of the importance of food autonomy has increased following the Covid pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, he advocated for the need for the agricultural sector to remain active and receive sufficient water, transferred from where it is abundant to where it is needed. He assured that investments would continue to improve efficiency in water use, distribution, consumption, regeneration, and reuse.
Pérez emphasized the importance of civil society being aware of the investment, research, and scientific effort required to have water, recalling that the province has historically had to fight to obtain it, becoming a model of efficiency and sustainability.
Regarding the recent visit of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to Elche, Toni Pérez lamented the lack of announcements of state investments in water matters. He expressed his disappointment that the repair of the San Diego reservoir and guarantees for the permanence of the Tajo-Segura water transfer were not announced, arguing that investments must be driven by political responsibility.
“"The president of the Generalitat defended water management in Alicante and the continuity of the Tajo-Segura water transfer, calling for dialogue and the application of science from the central government for a water solution without winners or losers."
Subsequently, professor Joaquín Melgarejo delivered the inaugural lecture, where he maintained that food security depends on the balance between water availability, soil fertility, access to fertilizers, energy, and the economic stability of agricultural holdings. He appealed to restore the strategic role of the farmer and concluded that building sustainable and secure agri-food systems places agriculture in a strategic dimension comparable to energy or critical infrastructure, making its link with water a central element for the coming decades.
