Agricultural History Review, Volume 54 Part 1 (2006), pp. 122–141

This paper describes the transformation wrought by irrigated agriculture in the Ebro Basin (Spain's largest river system) during the twentieth century. Irrigation in this area is both relatively large in scale and has been the precursor of changes occurring later in the rest of Spain. We first consider the significant impact of hydrological policy on the expansion of irrigation. We continue by examining the process of intensification which took place throughout the twentieth century and the gradual shift towards specialization, closing this part of the paper with a discussion of the importance of technological change for output growth. Finally, we take account of some impacts of the expansion of irrigated agriculture on the natural environment and the conflict that has emerged in the last few decades over the building of new dams. 

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