Approach and Policies against Approach and Policies against Drought: Drought:

the Experience of the IAMB in the Experience of the IAMB in SyriaSyria

Damascus, 1- 2 July 2008Damascus, 1- 2 July 2008

Reducing of the water Resources Reducing of the water Resources

20032003

20062006

Gbara Gbara SpringSpring

Cooperation Project:“Rationalization of Ras El Ain irrigation systems”

Others IAMB activities:

GENERAL OBJECTIVESGENERAL OBJECTIVES: : Food and income securityFood and income security

SPECIFIC PURPOSE: SPECIFIC PURPOSE: Reduce the use of groundwater resources in Reduce the use of groundwater resources in the project area. the project area.

Water saved: Wheat 42% - 55%Water saved: Wheat 42% - 55%

Water saved: Cotton 42%Water saved: Cotton 42%

Save water resources:

Project’s results Project’s results

IMPROVED SURFACE IRRIGATION SYSTEMIMPROVED SURFACE IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Weather Station

Weekly Meteorological

Data

Tools for Irrigation

Tensiometer

Field capacity (full)

Field capacity (low)

Tools for Irrigation

Field monitoring

Tools for Irrigation

Tools for Irrigation

Increase Yields and Saving Increase Yields and Saving of water resourcesof water resources

Increase Yields and Saving Increase Yields and Saving of water resourcesof water resources

55-Agricultural-Agricultural techniquestechniques

33 -Training -Training

22-New machinery-New machinery4 4 -New crops-New crops

11-New Irrigation-New Irrigationsystemsystem

Mechanical seeding machine

It used forIt used for seedingseeding wheat wheat BrassicaBrassica SoybeanSoybean SorghumSorghum ChickpeaChickpea

15 C

m

Seeding by furrows for winter cropsSeeding by furrows for winter crops

Pneumatic seeding machine

140 Cm

50 Cm 70 Cm15 Cm

SeedingSeeding by furrows for by furrows for summersummer cropscrops

It used for seedingIt used for seeding CottonCotton SunflowerSunflower MaizeMaize SoybeanSoybean

Improving the Ministry of Irrigation Improving the Ministry of Irrigation and Ministry of Agriculture performancesand Ministry of Agriculture performances

Trainings for farmers and technicians;Trainings for farmers and technicians; Data base Data base GIS/TIS UnitGIS/TIS Unit Equipments; Equipments; Laboratories;Laboratories; Guidelines;Guidelines; Crop ManualsCrop Manuals

SessionNumbers of technicians

Number of days

GIS and remote sensing 24 21Soil and water analysis 12 21Irrigation techniques 18 21Participatory planning 17 14Farm management 19 21Digital maps 3 10Information and Communication 13 7Management of development projects 12 4

Total trainers 118 119

Trainings and trainers

Sustainability of the project = Sustainability of the project = Implementation together with Irrigation and Implementation together with Irrigation and

Agriculture Ministry's TechniciansAgriculture Ministry's Technicians

HYDRALIC AND WELLS3 engineers

AGRONOMY6 Agronomists

AUXILIARIES AND WORKERS

5 persons 3 external

ADMINISTRATIVE4 technicians

3 Temporary Junior Experts

12 International Experts

ECONOMY3

economists

DIGITAL MAPS AND GIS

3 technicians

EXPATRIATE 1 Project Manager

1 Senior Expert1 Junior Expert

The actual situation The actual situation and future and future prospectiveprospective

ProblemsProblems

Excessive and irrational use of natural resources

Poor agriculture and high-cost production

Low-efficient (water) agriculture production

•Water•Soil•Bio diversity

•Old and poor mechanization •Inadequate irrigation and agronomical practices•High costs of production

Agriculture production=

Water

Water Consumption for 1 KG of agriculture production

Cotton: from 1,700 to 3,300 Liters of Water for 1 Kg

Wheat: from 600 to 1,600 Liters of Water for 1 Kg

Losing of production (all steeps) =

loosing of water

New way for future

Not only Irrigation but integrated process !

WATER:More Efficient Exploitation with rationale Technologies and Methodologies

More Efficient use of Rain Fed cultivation (Water Harvesting)

Genetic resources and crops more draught resistant

Integration of Agronomical practices

and Irrigation

New way for future

New concept: inside of any product (from agriculture or from industry) there is water !

WATER:

More Efficient Use of Inputs (less inputs less water)

Decreasing of losing (production, transportation, storage, food processing)

Correct evaluation of availability of resources and water demand

New way for future

Consideration: Not only agriculture is using Water !

WATER:

More Efficient System of water distribution (decreasing of loses)

Decreasing of losing and consumption from all, civil and

productive sectors

New policy and management for water

New way for future

Starting point: Knowledge of the available Resources and the Crops and People’s necessities!

Studies and analysis of the available resources

Evaluation of the demand and necessities

New Plans for sustainable exploitation and use of water

Water, Soil and their use

Thank you Thank you

for attentionfor attention

CIHEAM - IAMB Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari - Italy

Via Ceglie, 9 70010 Valenzano (Bari) Italy, Phone +39 080 4606111

Fax: +39 080 4606210www.iamb.it