Training on Integrated Water Resources Management in Lebanon

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Lebanon organized a three days training programme in Beirut, Lebanon, from 14 June 2022 until 16 June 2022, as part of the project “Improved Water Resources Monitoring System/Integrated Water Resources Management at regional level in Lebanon (IWRM)”, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and in collaboration with the North Lebanon Water Establishment (NLWE), which represents the Ministry of Water and Energy.

The main objective of this training was to enhance the knowledge and capacity of the NLWE and other water institutions on introducing the principle concepts of IWRM, in irrigation water management.  

“We have many challenges in Lebanon and I think the most serious one is cleaning the water. The financial crisis can be resolved, the health issues as well. However, water contamination needs the most time to return this resource to environmentally acceptable standards," said Dr. Isam Bashour, Professor of Soil Science and water expert at the American University of Beirut (AUB).

The project, which focuses on enhancing the monitoring of water resources in Minieh and Akkar, North Lebanon, aims at strengthening the capacity of the NLWE to improve their performance at regional level, thereby helping the sector address the challenges for a sustainable use of water resources.

In this context, thirty two online and eighteen in-person participants attended the training representing the NLWE, the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoEW) and other governmental actors, United Nations entities, research institutes municipalities, international and local organizations.

During the training, the analyzed outputs of the integrated water monitoring system were presented in the form of a case study that looked into the overall condition of the Al Bared irrigation scheme. The analyzed outputs included information on water quality, quantity, crop water consumption, crop identification and asset management which are generated from the established Prototype Monitoring System (PMS) and the Water Accounting/ Productivity Systems.

“Very interesting workshop. It highlighted the huge work that was done which can constitute a baseline data for future work and for decision makers to act towards water conservation, awareness campaigns and food security in the region. A field visit including the main water actors could complement this workshop,” indicated Dr. Yasmine Jabali, Senior Lecturer at the University of Balamand.

At the end of this training, participants were able to better understand water use in agriculture, water supply, consumption and governance within a water basin and to develop and evaluate water management strategies using sets of multiple criteria.