Type of indicator

Sectoral

Indicator C20

Irrigated land

Definition

The indicator shows the total irrigated land. 

It consists of 2 sub-indicators:

 

  1. total irrigated area 
  2. share of the Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA).

 

Irrigated area is defined as the area of crops which have actually been irrigated at least once during the 12 months prior to the reference day of the survey. Crops under glass and kitchen gardens, which are almost always irrigated, should not be included.

Utilised Agricultural Area consists in the total area taken up by arable land, permanent grassland, permanent crops and kitchen gardens.

As a general assumption, crops under glass (greenhouses) as well as kitchen gardens are considered actually irrigated areas but should not be included here. However, national methodologies may differ when including or excluding 'areas under glass' and 'kitchen gardens' in the 'total irrigated areas'; possible inconsistencies are being scrutinized by Eurostat. 

 

Unit of measurement

1: ha

2: share of total UAA

Data source

Eurostat - Farm Structure Survey (FSS), Survey on Agriculture Production Methods (SAPM) 2010.

References/location of the data

National and regional data: table ef_poirrig

 

Data collection level

National (NUTS 0) and regional (NUTS 1 and 2)

Frequency

The Survey on Agricultural Production Methods (SAPM) is a once-only survey carried out in 2010. 

Delay

2-3 years (Eurostat, Survey on Agricultural Production Methods)

 

Comments/caveats

The availability of this data source in the future is under discussion.


Indicator C.18 PMEF

Irrigable area

Definition

The indicator shows the irrigable area and it consists of 2 specific indicators:

  1. total irrigable area 
  2. share of the Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA)

Irrigable area is defined as the maximum area which could be irrigated in the reference year using the equipment and the quantity of water normally available on the holding. Crops under glass and kitchen gardens, which are assumed to be generally irrigable and irrigated, are not considered. 


Utilised Agricultural Area consists in the total area taken up by arable land, permanent grassland, permanent crops and others.

Unit of measurement

1: number of ha

2: %

Data source

Eurostat - Farm Structure Survey (FSS)

Eurostat – Integrated Farm Statistics (IFS)

Survey on Agriculture Production Methods (SAPM) 2010.

References / location of the data

National and regional data: 

1:table [ef_m_farmleg]

2: table [aei_ef_ir]

Data collection / dissemination level

National (NUTS 0), Regional (NUTS 1 and 2)

Frequency

FSS/IFS: full census every 10 years, intermediate surveys 2 times in-between.

Survey on Agricultural Production Methods (SAPM) is a one off survey carried out in 2010.

Timeliness

2 years 

Comments/caveats

IFS as of survey year 2020.

Because of the varying factors affecting water abstraction in agriculture, irrigated areas change from year to year depending on the weather conditions, while irrigable areas are used instead to present irrigation trends, showing the expectation on farmers for the need for irrigation.