From the beginning, fewer landowners joined the scheme than had been expected, leading to a reduction in the Minimum Irrigation Area described above under the heading "Construction Phase". Many landowners considered the price of water too high and were unsure of the perceived benefits of joining the scheme. This has gradually improved, and the majority of landowners are expected to have joined once construction is completed. The Regional Government of Catalonia is committed to the project and is expected to budget around €30 million per year until 2030 to drive the completion of the construction phase, although this has not been formally agreed yet.

The main challenge with the landowners is the change in mind-set. They are used to managing non-irrigated land and changing to an irrigated system implies an investment and an additional operational cost that they will have to bear when joining the system. Also, the crops that can be cultivated on irrigated land are different, and many landowners are wary of this large-scale change.

Good engagement with landowners in irrigation projects must be a priority from the outset to ensure their viability. The Procuring Authority, together with the Project Company, is currently undertaking awareness-raising campaigns to engage the landowners. This involves the Procuring Authority running a publicity campaign to advertise the loans on attractive terms being offered to landowners to cover the cost of the additional work they are required to undertake, while the Project Company contributes to the campaign with information on success stories from the farmers who have already joined the scheme. So far this has been seen as a useful approach, as landowners are continuing to sign up.