In Greece, the TOEBs (or TOEV)—Land Improvement and Irrigation Organizations (in Greek: Τοπικοί Οργανισμοί Εγγείων Βελτιώσεων, Topikoi Organismoi Eggeion Veltioseon)—are public, nonprofit agricultural cooperatives responsible for managing water resources for irrigation. Established in 1958 with technical support from the General Organizations for Hydraulic Improvements (GOEB), they oversee pumping stations, dams, canals, pipeline networks, and reservoirs across millions of hectares of farmland. Greece has more than 450 TOEVs¹, which are essential for meeting the water needs of vast agricultural areas, particularly in Argos, where agriculture consumes 83% of the available water. In Argolis, which faces recurring droughts due to climate change, these entities keep irrigation costs affordable through dues paid by their democratically elected members, without burdening the state budget. Since the 1990s, the TOEVs have lost their centralized technical support and have become more dependent on local authorities, exacerbating their difficulties in the face of rising costs and poor infrastructure maintenance. ² Argolis is particularly affected: the lack of funding for renovations has slowed modernization efforts. Farmers must finance up to 60% of the work, with the Greek government covering only the remaining 40% after ministerial approval. This community model, once effective, is now being undermined by insufficient profitability and the critical obsolescence of hydraulic equipment.
In Argos, the TOEVs operate through a local organization structured around assemblies of users and farmers. The farmers elect a board of directors responsible for setting water rates, scheduling irrigation rotations, and maintaining the infrastructure. Water is distributed via the Anavalos network, where water managers control the flow between the main canal and the many branches crisscrossing the plain. However, this system faces several structural limitations. Water losses in the old networks can reach high levels due to major leaks at each exchange point. Furthermore, the energy cost of pumping, which is heavily dependent on the price of electricity, is placing an increasing burden on farmers’ finances. Added to this is sometimes fragmented management, where a lack of coordination between neighboring TOEVs complicates the overall optimization of the resource.
1 : Comunity led actions in water manadgement on greek islands. 2024. ELENI KYRIACOU.URL : https://www.altercontacts.org/publications/towards-circular-2024/gr-sd-3
2 : Newsroom. Κρήτη: Αντιδράσεις των ΤΟΕΒ για την ιδιωτικοποίηση της άρδευσης. cna.gr. 2024.URL : https://www.cna.gr/crete/kriti-antidraseis-ton-toev-gia-tin-idiotikopoiisi-tis-ardeysis/