Andalucía aumentará inversión en arreglo de caminos rurales
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, has highlighted the support that the Andalusian Government has been providing in recent years for the maintenance and repair of rural roads, infrastructures that play a significant role in the daily activities of field professionals. «They are essential for agricultural operations, as they are the means of access to transport products in the best possible condition, and they are also key connection routes for farmers, livestock breeders, and residents,» he emphasized.
During his speech in the parliamentary committee, Fernández-Pacheco emphasized that the Government of Juanma Moreno plans to increase by nearly 100 million euros the investment in rural road improvements planned by the previous Andalusian government for the Rural Development Program (RDP) 2014-2020. Specifically, the Ministry aims to surpass the current framework (2014-2022) by exceeding 213 million euros, excluding the aid for repairing rural roads affected by the storms in February and March 2025. However, in 2018, 116 million euros were allocated for rural road improvements. The difference between the two economic amounts almost doubles the funds.
Ramón Fernández-Pacheco pointed out that these actions are «an essential part of the ongoing assistance provided by the regional government to municipalities, as the vast majority of rural roads are owned by municipalities, and therefore, their repair and maintenance are the responsibility of local entities.» In this regard, the minister highlighted the significant change that has allowed municipalities to access actions within plans where the Government covers all the costs of the works. Fernández-Pacheco explained that previously, costs were divided between the regional government (60%) and municipalities (40%), but this model resulted in «many local entities not even applying for aid and others renouncing the subsidy.»
In total, since 2019, the current Andalusian Government has promoted around 1,800 actions to improve and repair rural roads valued at 213 million euros, including projects from the Repara, Restaura I, Restaura II, Itínere, and Itínere Rural plans, aid for rural road improvements not included in these plans, and emergency works on roads affected by the 2024 DANA storms.
As for the level of implementation of the various plans, the implementation of actions not included in specific plans has been completed, the Repara, Restaura I, and Restaura II plans have been finished, and the emergency works due to the DANA storms will conclude in July, barring unforeseen events. The measures included in the Itínere Plan are at 92%, and the initiatives of the Itínere Rural Plan are mostly in progress. Regarding these last two plans, the minister has requested «maximum collaboration» from other public administrations that must issue the necessary authorizations to carry out certain works. This is the case, for example, with the Guadiana and Guadalquivir Hydrographic Confederations, which depend on the State.
Storms and Práctico Road
In his speech, Fernández-Pacheco also referred to the improvements that the Government plans to carry out on the roads severely affected by the series of storms recorded in February and March 2025. In this regard, he emphasized that the Ministry has declared the emergency processing of contracting works on 280 rural roads. The total investment associated with these initiatives amounts to 13.7 million euros.
On another note, as an example of the regional government’s response to the needs of Andalusians, the minister highlighted the improvements to the Práctico Road, stating that it is «a historic demand of farmers and irrigators that this Government is addressing in the province of Cádiz.» Regarding the infrastructure, he noted that it is «a fundamental route for the economic development of an eminently agricultural area like Sanlúcar de Barrameda.»
