Press Release

OPEC Fund supports water resource management scheme in the WANA Region

11/2006 March 14, 2006, Vienna, Austria
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The OPEC Fund for International Development today approved a grant of US$500,000 in support of a project aimed at improving the livelihoods of rural populations in the dry areas of West Asia and North Africa (WANA). Spearheaded by the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), in cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the multi-faceted research scheme aims to enhance the productivity of agriculture through the efficient and sustainable management of water resources with the full participation of rural communities.

Water scarcity in the WANA region is an issue of growing concern. With heavy demand from agriculture, growing populations and virtually no remaining untapped water sources, the need to establish water-management strategies in the region is of vital importance. WANA countries can be divided into three major agro-ecologies, each facing slightly different challenges. Rainfed areas are dependent on a low and extremely variable rainfall, resulting in minimal yields, a problem exacerbated by frequent drought. The badia,ordrier environmentsare home to a substantial proportion of the region’s poorest rural populations. Rainfall occurs in the form of intense and unpredictable storms, and as a result, the crusting soils are unable to absorb the moisture, which rapidly becomes lost through evaporation or runoff. Irrigatedareas utilize rivers and groundwater sources, which are becoming depleted from over-use.

In cooperation with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in the WANA countries, ICARDA will establish benchmark sites that represent each agro-ecology that will be linked to NARS satellite sites in other WANA countries. Using a multidisciplinary approach, researchers will study water use at the household and community level, as well as the watershed and policy levels. Issues specific to each WANA country will be taken into consideration, such as water quality, special soil conditions, and local water-related policies. In each of the three agro-ecologies, efficient water-use strategies will be developed and tested under farm conditions. Capacity building measures in the form of regional training programs and workshops among researchers, extensionists, farmers and decision makers are also envisaged. In addition, meetings will be held among specialists and decision-makers and representatives of the three agro-ecologies for the exchange of views and research results.