An initiative towards water saving: Non-conventional water resources as an

additional irrigation water source

Atef Hamdy Emeritus Professor,

Water Resources Management Ciheam/MAIBari, Italy

by

The dominant fact that will be strongly evident over the next few decades

in the structural imbalance between the constantly increasing demand for

water to meet the needs and the limited natural available water supply :

Water resources: the dominant facts

A)

Water Resources Dilemma in the Mediterranean Region.

B) Managerial Capacity BuildingMost developing countries in the Mediterranean are suffering big

shortages in the water managers who are capable not only to evaluate the problem, but, to find the reasonable solutions; those with good understanding to integrate ecological and human water needs in a comprehensive way.

The 3 approachesThe 3 approaches

1- by increasing the efficiency with which current needs are met 1- by increasing the efficiency with which current needs are met

2- by increasing the efficiency with which water is allocated among different uses 2- by increasing the efficiency with which water is allocated among different uses

3- by introducing non-traditional sources of supply including, saline, reclaimed or recycled water and in some limited circumstances, desalinized brackish water or seawater

3- by introducing non-traditional sources of supply including, saline, reclaimed or recycled water and in some limited circumstances, desalinized brackish water or seawater

Why water saving in the Agricultural Sector?

278

356.9

414.5

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1990 2010 2025

Water Demand [in km3/year]Water requirements [km3/year]

+28% +49%

278

356.9

414.5

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1990 2010 2025

Water Demand [in km3/year]Water requirements [km3/year]

+28% +49%

Water demand

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140water losses by sector (km3/year)

drinking water supply

11.44

leaks or misuses

(domestic, industrial)

4.1

losses in irrigation

conveyance

43.3

inefficient irrigation

water

71.1

subtotal agriculture

114.4

TOTAL

129.9

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140water losses by sector (km3/year)

drinking water supply

11.44

leaks or misuses

(domestic, industrial)

4.1

losses in irrigation

conveyance

43.3

inefficient irrigation

water

71.1

subtotal agriculture

114.4

TOTAL

129.9

Water losses

Why water saving in the Agricultural Sector?

Possible water savings

Why water saving in the Agricultural Sector?

7.7

50 % reduction of

losses in drinking

water supply

14

50 % of recycling in

industry

21.6

50 % reduction in conveyance

losses

30.6

irrigation efficiency generalized at 80 %

52.2

subtotal agriculture

74

TOTAL

possible water savings (km3/year)

7.7

50 % reduction of

losses in drinking

water supply

7.7

50 % reduction of

losses in drinking

water supply

7.7

50 % reduction of

losses in drinking

water supply

14

50 % of recycling in

industry

14

50 % of recycling in

industry

14

50 % of recycling in

industry

14

50 % of recycling in

industry

21.6

50 % reduction in conveyance

losses

21.6

50 % reduction in conveyance

losses

21.6

50 % reduction in conveyance

losses

30.6

irrigation efficiency generalized at 80 %

30.6

irrigation efficiency generalized at 80 %

30.6

irrigation efficiency generalized at 80 %

52.2

subtotal agriculture

52.2

subtotal agriculture

52.2

subtotal agriculture

74

TOTAL

74

TOTAL

74

TOTAL

possible water savings (km3/year)

278

148

7456

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Waterdemand

Effectivelyused

Possiblesavings

Shortage

Summary of the situation

Why water saving in the Agricultural Sector?

WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AND ITS

IMPACT ON WATER SUPPLY

294.8

1 2 3

S1

S2

S3

45% 60% 80%

Water demand by 2025 294.8 294.8 294.8

97.30 72.97 129.73

182.8 207.1 239.6 Increase of water supply

Water effectively Used in agriculture

water use efficiency in agricultural sector

FIELD OF ACTIONS

Social Technical Economical

Capacity Building Institutional improvement HRD (Human Resources Development)

RAP “Water Resources Management”

Use of non-conventionalwater resources

Irrigationwater useefficiency

Performanceanalysis ofcollective

irr. systems

Allocation Efficiency &water valuation

Participatory Irr.Management (PIM) &

Water User Associations (WUA)

Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture and Potentialsfor Water Saving in the Middle East Region

Atef Hamdy

4th World Water Forum20 March 2006

Regional Action Programme on “Water Resources Management”Conclusion

Tunisia•Min. of Agric.•INRAT, Ariana•IRESA, Tunis•INAT, Tunis

Algeria•Min. of Agriculture•INSID, Alger

Morocco•Ministry of Agriculture•IAV Hassan II, Rabat•IAV Hassan II, Agadir•INRA, Settat•MAAE, Rabat

Malta•Min. of Agric.•Inst. Water Tech.

Egypt•Min. of Water Res. and Irrigation•Min. of Agriculture•ARC•NRC•CLEQM

NWRC- CairoNWRC- Cairo

Turkey•Cukurova Univ.•Karahmanmaras Univ

Lebanon•Min. of Agric.•NRC, Beirut•LARI. Beirut•ISIAM, Tamail•Sant-Esprit deKaslik Univ.

Jordan•Amman Univ.

Syria•Min. of Agric.

Cyprus•Min. of Agric.•ARI, Nicosia

Italy•Bari Univ.•Polytechnics of Bari•Catania Univ.•Foggia Irr. Consortia•Univ. Of Trieste•CNR - Bari

Bari Bari InstituteInstitute

International•FAO, Rome•ICARDA, Aleppo•IFAD, Rome•World Bank, Washington•INPIM, Washington

RAP-WRM Partners

Logistic Support

EU/CIHEAM-MAI.B

Regional Action Programme “Water Resources Management”

M.Sc. Mobilization Program

Research Project “WASIA”

Aid to Decision Making

Activities

Advanced Short Courses

Research Networks

Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture and Potentialsfor Water Saving in the Middle East Region

Atef Hamdy

4th World Water Forum20 March 2006

General objective:• to develop a conceptual framework for

water saving in agriculture through the integration of – Water Use Efficiency in cropping

practices (WUE),– Irrigation Systems Performances (ISP),

and– Use of Non-conventional Water

Resources (NWR)

WUE

ISP

NWR

WAter Saving in Irrigated AgricultureWASIA project

Sustainable use of Non-Conventional water resources (Treated wastewater and saline brakish water)

Some Successful Case Studies

Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture and Potentialsfor Water Saving in the Middle East Region

Atef Hamdy

4th World Water Forum20 March 2006

WAter Saving in Irrigated AgricultureWASIA project, Results and Outputs

1. Reuse of Treated Wastewater for Irrigation of Cereals, Forage and Vegetablesby Means of Different Irrigation Methods (Agadir, Morocco)

2. Recycling of Drainage Water for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture(Western Nile Delta, Egypt)

3. Sustainable Use of Highly Saline Water for Irrigation of CropsUnder Arid and Semiarid Conditions (Adana, Turkey)

4. Development of Screening Legumes and Forage Nursery forSalinity Tolerance (ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria)

Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture and Potentialsfor Water Saving in the Middle East Region

Atef Hamdy

4th World Water Forum20 March 2006

Regional Action Programme on “Water Resources Management”Conclusion

In order to move from WATER SCARCITY to WATER SECURITY, the following Local Actions should be generalised to the whole region:

1. Collect, treat and reuse every single drop of wastewater and drainage water;

2. Increase the Water Use Efficiency (more “crop per drop”) through:• the use of modern irrigation systems (sprinkler irrigation, drip

irrigation),• Deficit irrgation,• Supplemental irrigation,• Water harvesting.

3. A more efficient, equitable water allocation through the use of new technologies for water distribution at farm-level (AcquaCard).

Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture and Potentialsfor Water Saving in the Middle East Region

Atef Hamdy

4th World Water Forum20 March 2006

CIHEAMMediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Italy