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Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Summary

Acronysms

Water conservation: a priority in the Mediterranean region

Situation and regional characteristics
Areas of future intervention
Potential water savings in the region

Case study summaries

How irrigated agriculture can reduce poverty
Jordan: irrigation optimization in the Jordan valley
Morocco: improvement of on-farm irrigation by laser levelling and basin irrigation in Tadla
Egypt: improvement of surface irrigation systems in the Nile valley
Turkey: water savings in relation to participatory irrigation management
Tunisia: integrated water management in a context of scarce water resources

Lessons learned

Localized irrigation is not a miracle technology
Surface irrigation can be a water-saving technique
An environment that enables water conservation is necessary
Sustainability depends on complementary measures

Conclusion

References

ANNEX 1
ANNEX 2
ANNEX 3
ANNEX 4
ANNEX 5

The International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID) aims to enhance the standard of irrigation and drainage research and development in and by developing countries, giving due regard to the needs of the environment. Its main objectives are to improve technology and management in order to increase the production of food and agricultural commodities, enhance food security and assist in eliminating poverty. The programme focuses attention on four priority themes:

Synthesizing knowledge
Building national capacity
Formulating research and development strategies and programmes
Networking

IPTRID's sponsors are FAO, UNDP, World Bank, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), international and national research institutes, multi- and bilateral donors, and development foundations.

For further information about the IPTRID Programme please contact the IPTRID Secretariat at the following address:

Programme Manager IPTRID
Room B-712
Land and Water Development Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy

Tel: +39 06 570 54033 Fax: +39 06 570 56275
E-mail: [email protected]

One of IPTRID's priority activities is to create awareness among the interested public and the professional community on irrigation and drainage issues, particularly on the positive benefits of irrigated agriculture. It is hoped that the reader will be able to appreciate better the role of irrigation and drainage and understand how such developments can be improved with minimal environmental impacts and maximum livelihood benefits.

Poverty reduction and irrigated agriculture is the first in a series of Issues Papers to be published by IPTRID. Topics to be covered in later papers include;

- Realizing the value of irrigation system maintenance, and
- Priorities for drainage

Publication of these papers will be announced in the IPTRID Network Magazine GRID, which is published biannually. Requests for GRID magazine and for copies of the Issues Papers should be sent to the IPTRID Programme Manager at the address above.