FAO develops a roadmap framework for use of non-conventional water resources in Agri-aquaculture

Cairo, 25 June, 2019 - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), today held a regional workshop as part of the project “Use of Non-conventional water in Agriculture in Support of Sustainable Agri-aquaculture Development in Desert and Arid Lands in the Near East and North Africa region, the Cases of Algeria, Egypt and Oman, to share project outcomes with experts and develop a roadmap framework for scaling up in the NENA region.  

This workshop is organized under the FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa in collaboration with FAO HQs and respective national authorities of the beneficiary countries of the project. And other participating countries experts from Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Sudan,

In his opening speech opening, Mr. Serge Nakouzi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative, for the Near East and North Africa, highlighted The constant growth of the human population and the continuous exploitation for land and water resources particularly in arid lands, will require the application of new strategies to ensure adequate food production by populations living in remote and isolated areas. The integration of aquaculture with agriculture is becoming progressively more attractive in areas where water is a limited resource.

“In this regard, integrated agri-aquaculture systems create value to both farm business, particularly of small-scale farm household in rural areas, and the consumer while contributing to less water usage. Therefore, these type of integrated farming systems can be attractive for youth and create new employment opportunities in areas affected by chronic migration of people towards cities or abroad” Nakouzi said.

As part of the project, this workshop has been designed to share the knowledge and develop a regional roadmap to identify areas where collaboration and progress may be made.

“The expected key outcomes of the workshop will include improved knowledge on the status of practices of integrated agri-aquaculture farming in NENA region, shared experiences, lessons learned best practices and new techniques in the use of non-conventional water in integrated agri-aquaculture farming in NENA region, and finely a regional non-conventional water use roadmap framework for development of integrated agri-aquaculture farming” Haydar Fersoy, Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer, FAORNE said.

The project was launched in 2017 under FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa. The main objective of this study was to analyse the use of non-conventional sources of water taking the three selected countries as case study, for use in integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems in the arid environments prevalent in the NENA region, as a means to produce more food per unit of water used, as part of increased development for aquaculture in the region.