CGIL backs Naro farmers' water protest in Sicily

Alfonso Buscemi, secretary‑general of the CGIL in Agrigento, affirmed the union’s full support for the protest organised by farmers in Naro over a severe water crisis. He warned that, like the earlier Ribera case, the town faces a risk of agricultural and occupational collapse due to insufficient regional response.

Buscemi criticised repeated unfulfilled promises and emergency measures that fail to address underlying problems, calling for immediate investment in water infrastructure, repair of obsolete pipelines, reduction of losses, and a robust planning system. He stressed agriculture’s role as a key economic driver in the province of Agrigento and urged regional authorities to provide stable, lasting solutions. The union also praised local councilor Calogero Licata for convening an extraordinary municipal council to discuss the issue, emphasizing the need for institutional dialogue with the farming community.