René Collin seeks the opinion of the IRM on the exceptional nature of the drought

The Walloon Minister of Agriculture, René Collin, asked the opinion of the Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) to determine whether or not the drought experienced in Wallonia for several weeks is of an exceptional nature.

" This objectification over a return period of more than 20 years will make it possible to determine whether or not the period of heat that the region experiences is exceptional, and this is the first condition to be met for the recognition of a climatic event. as agricultural calamity ", explains the minister in a statement.

In addition to this recognition by the IRM, economic conditions will also have to be met on the basis of the minutes of the communal committees of observation of damage to crops. " The global damage must exceed 1.25 million euros, the average damage must reach 5500 euros per file, the intensity of the damage must reach at least 30% of normal production ", recalls still the minister who invites, again, the municipalities to set up their communal commission of report and the farmers to transmit their file.

Walloon is competent since June 1, 2017 in the matter of agricultural calamities. The transfer of powers has led to a simplification of the procedure to allow accelerated compensation

In addition, Wallonia devotes more than 25 million euros per year to agricultural research in the context of global warming. This reality is now integrated into all the works in progress in order to further increase the efficiency of agricultural practices by anticipating and mitigating the effects of climate change, René Collin emphasizes.