The criticism comes following the announcement by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, that water supply to the Algarve from Alqueva is being studied, connecting this dam to that of Santa Clara, also in Alentejo, and then to Bravura, in the Algarve.

For the president of the Baixo Alentejo Farmers Association (AABA), Francisco Palma, “It is a little unreasonable to think that Alqueva will meet the water needs of the Algarve, with the Algarve, on its own, being able to have more water resources”.

“In this matter of Alqueva serving everything and everyone, I think it is at least an electoral scam and political opportunism”, the agricultural leader criticised.

Francisco Palma recalled that the Alqueva “was created and designed” to “fill a water deficit that exists in Alentejo, given the drought and irregularity” of the region’s climate.

Therefore, he continued, before thinking about taking water from Alqueva to the Algarve, it needs to first reach “the various places in Baixo Alentejo where it is needed”.

Rui Garrido, president of ACOS – Associação de Agricultores do Sul, based in Beja, also told Lusa that he did not welcome a project that could involve “another consumption of water in Alqueva”.

“The water in Alqueva is not unlimited” and “we have to start thinking about how to put more water in Alqueva”, he warned.

According to this official, in the near future, the region could face “three more years without rain”.

“This has to be considered and we have to think that, to give water to so many people, we have to get more water for Alqueva”, he reinforced.

Therefore, the agricultural leader stressed that he does not understand “how so much water can come out without thinking about putting water in Alqueva, namely water that comes from the north [of the country], where it rains more and there are more” water resources.