The Cortes of Aragon have approved, without votes against, in the plenary session this Wednesday, Decree Law 1/2024 on drought aid prepared by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, in force since September 26, which regulates the direct aid worth seven million euros intended to alleviate the effects of drought in 2024.
With 38 votes in favor –PP, VOX, A-TE, IU, PAR– and 25 abstentions –PSOE and CHA– out of a total of 63 votes cast, this Decree Law establishes, among other issues, two distribution zones and economic amounts determined based on a series of parameters.
The Minister of Finance, Interior and Public Administration of the Government of Aragon, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, has presented this norm with the status of law, as a consequence of the usual alterations in temperatures and precipitation and the exacerbated crises in international trade, which have generated great damage to agricultural and livestock farms in numerous locations in the territory.
These amounts are covered by the Temporary National Framework relating to aid measures to support the economy after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, approved by the European Commission in its Decision SA.102771 (2022/N), of April 2 , and extended until December 31, 2024, so they must be managed and paid before that date.
Payment is expected to be made throughout the month of Novemberonce the processing provided for in the Decree Law is completed, which will be published in the Official Gazette of Aragon (BOA) this Thursday, October 31.
A total of 1.2 million euros will be directed to the livestock sectorwhile the The remaining 5.8 million will be for the agricultural sector of the affected areas. In the case of the ranchers affected and contemplated in the Decree Law, the amount is set at 25 euros for each Large Livestock Unit (UGM), unit of measurement for accounting for heads of livestock, in the case of farmers the amount will depend on other factors.
parliamentary groups
Representing the PSOE, Marcel Iglesias, has highlighted the “disappointment, frustration and anger” that exists among farmers with drought aid, who have “broken hope.” This “disappointment”, has continued, extends to health, education, in families and in towns.
Santiago Moron (VOX) recalled that these direct aid were announced in the month of May by the then advisor of the branch, Ángel Samper. He regretted the left’s criticism of the amount of this aid and added that during the last legislature “zero euros” were allocated.
Joaquín Palacín (CHA) has highlighted the “important” deficiencies of the Decree Law, such as the “small amount”, the zoning, the exclusion of certain species and the damage suffered by the professional farmer and rancher, “who should have been supported more.”
The deputy of Aragón-Teruel ExistsPilar Buj, has highlighted the “insufficient and very insufficient” nature of the aid for the amounts planned for dryland crops, for the direct costs assumed by farmers and for the territorial area chosen, among other aspects, but “they are welcome.”
On the part of UIÁlvaro Sanz, has expressed the opinion that this Decree Law “arrives late” and has stated: “Until VOX has left the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, the Government of Aragon has not learned of the urgent need of these measures and that soft loans were not worth it.
The parliamentarian of PAIRAlberto Izquierdo, has stressed that, despite his vote in favor, this aid “is insufficient and arrives late”, specifically, two years after the start of the drought, although “it is something.”
He ‘popular‘ José María Giménez has defended this Decree, whose “sole objective is to help alleviate the problems generated by the lack of rain.” The aid could be “improved”, but it will help farmers return to activity “in a few days.”
Two zones
For the distribution of direct aid, it has been determined two areas: one of maximum affection and another of serious affection. In this sense, it is expected that aid reaches 304 municipalities and 19 regionsin one area or another, with all the farms of twelve of them being beneficiaries: Ribera Baja del Ebro, Campo de Cariñena, Campo de Belchite, Bajo Martín, Jiloca, Cuencas Mineras, Andorra-Sierra de Arcos, Bajo Aragón, Community of Teruel , Maestrazgo, Gúdar-Javalambre and Matarraña.
On the other hand, the number of hectares affected – with a maximum of one hundred – has been taken into account, as well as whether the farmers or agricultural companies are young or not, considering as such those under 41 years of age or those who do not reach that age. age this 2024. It has been established that, In the case of farmers, the minimum payment will be 200 euros.
In the case of the livestock farmers, the maximum aid may reach 2,500 euros and in the case of agriculture, it could reach 5,000 eurosthis being the case of a young farmer whose farm was in the maximum affected area. If the beneficiary is a farmer and rancher and meets the requirements for the distribution of aid in both cases, he will receive both aid.
Finally, and in order that payments can be made in the most efficient and agile way possible, it has been determined that all beneficiaries are recipients of payments from the CAP or the Beekeeping Sector Intervention, the latter in the case of affected beekeepers, to whom the amount established based on UGM is applied.
Calculation of affected areas
To distribute the direct aid, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of the Government of Aragon has taken into account various factors and has established farms and not territories as beneficiaries, although these have been the basis for determining the amounts for your condition.
Thus, to the data provided by Agroseguro, available once the campaign ends, this month of September, those obtained through the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index have been added. (SPEI, for its acronym in English) with which the degree of affection in each area has been determined.
The SPI (Standardized Precipitation Index) is a tool used to measure and monitor drought. This index quantifies the deficit or excess of precipitation in a specific period compared to the historical average, adjusting the data to a normal distribution.
This index is expressed in terms of standard deviations of the accumulated precipitation with respect to the mean. Positive values indicate above-average precipitation and negative values indicate below-average precipitation. Likewise, it allows comparison of drought conditions between different regions and time scales, from months to years.
Given that the provisional values of appraisals reflected damage in areas for which this index did not provide information, it was contrasted with another drought monitoring index called SPEI for its acronym in English, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, which combines precipitation and evapotranspiration to assess water availability in a specific region.
In this case, it is a multi-scalar index, which means that it can be applied at multiple time scales, from months to years, thus allowing detailed analysis of short- and long-term drought. Negative SPEI values indicate drought conditions, while positive values reflect wetter than normal conditions.
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