Portugal: €4.35 million (≈ $4.86 million) approved to restore the Lower Mondego irrigation system after the flood

Portugal's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DGADR) reported on November 9 on the recovery of the Lower Mondego (Baixo Mondego) irrigation district after the flood. The Ministry of Agriculture and Sea approved the irrigation system users' association's application for €4.35 million (≈ $4.86 million), of which €1.2 million (≈ $1.34 million) will go to restoring production capacity and removing sand.

Key figures

• Approved: ≈ $4.86 million
• Capacity: ≈ $1.34 million
• Irrigation: 12,500 ha
• Canals: 280 km
• Roads: 300 km
• 2026 harvest: ≈ 200 thousand t

What happened

On February 11, 2026, the breach of the Casais dike caused flooding in the Lower Mondego valley. The income and way of life of 2,500 families were put at risk. According to DGADR, the ministry worked with farmers from the very first hours, and the head of the directorate visited the site and checked on the progress of the work.

In numbers

What is being restored and who is being helped:

• An irrigation district covering 12,500 hectares.
• 300 km of farm roads and 280 km of irrigation canals.
• Of the €4.35 million (≈ $4.86 million), €1.2 million (≈ $1.34 million) goes to restoring production capacity and removing sand.
• 50 hectares were buried in sand, making it impossible to grow a 2026 crop on them; 10 farm families from these plots will receive compensation for the lost opportunity to farm the land.
• Despite the flood, the 2026 season in the Lower Mondego produced about 200 thousand tons of food.

What it means for farmers in Portugal

Work is under way across the whole system, on canals, roads and fields, so farms in the district can plan the 2027 season on restored irrigation infrastructure. The funding was approved through the irrigation system users' association, so the work schedule and compensation questions should be checked with it. Farmers whose plots were buried in sand are entitled to compensation for the lost season. Restoring production capacity is a separate funding line, so farms should assess in advance what machinery they will need by spring.

Context

Even in the flood year, the valley produced about 200 thousand tons of food, and the directorate thanks the farmers who keep working their land despite all the difficulties. Dollar conversions use the European Central Bank rate for November 6: 1.1165 dollars per euro.

Source: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of Portugal (DGADR)