Emilia‑Romagna drought prompts water‑use relief request as global study warns of agricultural risk

Farmers in Italy’s Emilia‑Romagna region have asked the regional authority to temporarily suspend the minimum viable water flow rule, seeking a fifteen‑day deroga to protect crops amid a severe drought. President of Coldiretti Emilia‑Romagna Luca Cotti said the lack of rain and high temperatures have reduced water availability from the Po River and tributaries, threatening the current harvest.

A recent study published in *Nature Communications* by researchers from the Politecnico di Torino and the University of Delaware highlights that rising global drought vulnerability could sharply cut yields of major food crops. The analysis identifies “hot‑spot” regions—including parts of the United States, Brazil, Spain and India—where reliance on rain‑fed agriculture makes production especially fragile. The authors suggest expanding sustainable irrigation and switching to more drought‑resilient varieties could cut potential losses by over 60 % and boost average yields by up to 14 %. Together, the regional emergency and the global findings underscore the growing challenge of securing food supplies under climate change.