Italy is facing another year of severe drought due to a dry and warm winter that has led to very little snow and rainfall, reducing River Po, the country's longest river, to dangerously low levels. 

Wheat farmer Riccardo Mignani has lived in Cremona, in the northern region of Lombardy, his whole life and says he has never seen it so dry. 

"Normally, the irrigation channel that borders my farm is almost full and since last summer there has only been around 20 centimeters of water, so I can't sustain my crops," Mignani told CGTN.

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A lifeline river

The lifeline for his farm, like thousands of others in the Pianura Padana area, is River Po, which last summer suffered its worst drought in seven decades. 

Mignani lost 50 percent of his crops as a result of that.

"This year is already predicted to be worse because eventually when it rains it's not going to be enough and the wheat that we have planted in the fields, wouldn't have the strength to grow," says Mignani. 

Coldiretti, the national farmers' association, says a dire lack of snow is also to blame. 

"The situation is serious. There is 30-40 percent less rain than last year and in terms of the temperature, we have one, and in some cases two, degrees above the usual average," says Lorenzo Bazzana, Coldiretti's Economic Manager. 

It is not just the Po valley that is affected. 

In Venice, gondolas have been grounded due to low water levels. In Lake Garda, tourists can walk to San Biagio island, usually only accessible by boat. 

'We'll keep hoping something comes from the sky'

The Po is currently 3.3 meters below normal levels, threatening a third of the country's Made in Italy produce, including crops and key products, such as parmesan cheese and parma ham. 

Last year's drought caused $5.5 billion worth of damage. In a bid to avert another economic crisis, the government has appointed a special commissioner. 

Bazzana believes more reservoirs can offer a solution. 

"We need to be capable of retaining more than just 11 percent of rainfall," says Bazzana. "Creating more reservoirs means we can provide a lot more water not just for agricultural use but also for hydroelectricity, industry and the community."

All hopes are now riding on the spring.

"We will keep trying to cultivate while watching above and hoping that something comes from the sky because otherwise the situation will remain critical," adds Mignani.