"IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE IS THE PRIMARY USER OF WATER IN EUROPE AND IS A VERY COMPETITIVE ECONOMIC SECTOR OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. ALMOST THE 46% OF THE REGION�S POPULATION LIVES IN PLACES (ALMOST NINE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES), WHICH ARE WATER-STRESSED (EEA, 2009 ). MOREOVER, IN EUROPE ALSO THE PROBLEM OF WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION OF SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER BODIES HAS RECEIVED GREAT INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE USE OF MINERAL FERTILIZERS IN AGRICULTURE (OECD, 2013 ).

"THIS PROPOSAL IS BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE ACQUIRED IN THE RESEARCH PROJECTS ""SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WATER AND ENERGY USE IN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. PET2008-0175"" (2009-2011) AND ""ACTIONS TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN IRRIGATED AREAS. AGL2011-30328-C02-01 ""(2012-2014). IN THESE PROJECT WERE DEVELOPED, CALIBRATED AND VALIDATED METHODOLOGIES AND SOFTWARE FOR IMPROVING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, COLLECTIVE PRESSURIZED IRRIGATION NETWORKS AND PUMPING SYSTEMS.