‌"We've already lost everything this month," Pere Formatge tells CGTN, standing amid his failed grain crop in the small village of Torrelles de Foix, an hour outside Barcelona.

‌"I've never seen anything like this in my lifetime," he continues. "In my 35 years in this industry planting and farming there's never been a situation where you plant and the crops die because of a chronic lack of water."

‌He's a dairy farmer who produces natural yogurt, cheese, and milk. Formatge grows the grain to feed his livestock, but that has now withered, meaning he has to buy animal feed and bring in water via truck.

‌"Everything is more expensive, if it doesn't rain this year then the crops will fail next year," he lamented.

Emergency funds

‌On Thursday the Spanish government held an emergency meeting and approved drought relief funds worth more than 2.4 billion dollars to help areas and industries most affected by extreme water shortages.

‌Over one and half billion dollars will be set aside to increase water supply through desalination plants and improving efficiency, but those plants won't be ready for at least another year.

‌Plans to pipe in water to the worst-hit areas from other sources nearby are also included in this latest package of help.

‌More than 850 million dollars in direct grants and loans will also be made available to help struggling farmers feed livestock and ensure water supply for crops.

‌Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has classified this drought as “a major national concern” and pledged to release funds as soon as possible.

‌Minister for agriculture Luis Planas said the plan is to maintain a normal supply of food, avoiding price hikes to feed Spain's population and the millions of tourists that visit each year. Planas also stressed the need for Spain to continue as a leading global exporter of food products in Europe.‌

"Not able to help everyone"

Formatge, though, isn't convinced by these new plans.

‌"I think it's going to be impossible, with the losses everyone's going to take. It'll be simply impossible to cover all that," he says.

‌"I don't think they'll be able to help everyone who's suffering from this drought, crop and livestock farmers, fruit and vegetable growers,” he said.

‌"I hope they come soon, they say they're direct but I can't see them solving all my problems, maybe they'll help a little but solving all the problems we're facing?" His sigh says it all.

Hottest on record

Last month was the hottest April on record, following Spain's hottest year ever in 2022.

‌Climate expert Ruben del Campo, who works for Spain's Meteorological centre, told CGTN: ‌"What we can draw from this is a scenario where water resources are becoming scarcer for a number of reasons. Less rain, less snow in the mountains and higher temperatures which means more evaporation.

‌"As we have said, we are now seeing periods of drought that become not just longer, but more intense. In the coming decades these periods will become more extended."

With Europe warming at twice the rate as the rest of the world, experts are growing increasingly concerned, with Spain on the front line of the climate emergency.

‌"The future looks very dark with this climate situation we're living through," says Formatge.

Almost on queue, thunder peals across the sky and drops of rain begin to fall.

‌The next day Formatge tells CGTN "25 litres fell yesterday" and while that won't solve all his issues "it's better than nothing."

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