Residents of the Shtiqën Administrative Unit and the village of Nangë, in the Bicaj Administrative Unit, protested today in front of the Kukës Municipality, demanding an urgent solution to the shortage of irrigation water affecting their agricultural land.
Farmers say they have been left without sufficient water for days, putting crops and family incomes at serious risk. According to the protesters, water resources are being diverted to meet the needs of hydroelectric power plants, while agricultural areas are being left without the irrigation supply they depend on.
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“There have been three years of Shtiqëni drying up and being scorched because of the lack of irrigation water,” one resident said during the protest.
Farmers Say Irrigation Agreement Is Not Being Implemented
The protesters claim that an existing agreement guarantees water for irrigation from May 15 to September 15, but they say the agreement is not being respected.
The Shtiqën irrigation canal serves approximately 820 hectares of agricultural land. Currently, around 120 hectares are planted with crops including corn, alfalfa and wheat.
“The contract exists, but it is not being implemented. There is plenty of water in the canal. We have come to show what we have planted—it has been left empty,” another resident declared.
Crops and Family Incomes at Risk
Farmers warn that the continuing lack of irrigation water could cause significant agricultural losses, threatening both this year's production and the income of families who depend on farming.
They are calling on local and central institutions to intervene immediately and restore water supplies to the irrigation canals.
The protesters also warned that demonstrations could escalate if their demands are not addressed and a concrete solution is not found.
The Bigger Conflict Over Water
The dispute highlights a broader tension between agricultural water needs and the use of water resources for hydropower production. For farmers, the issue is not simply about a dry canal—it is about whether existing agreements and priorities are being respected when competing demands are placed on the same water resources.
For the residents of Shtiqën and Nangë, the message to authorities is clear: without irrigation water, the fields cannot produce—and families cannot afford another season of losses.