Irrigation management of crops in Egypt is characterized by the application of more water than the crops require. In fact, large amounts of water are supplied without any estimates of the soil water content at the root zone. The rationale for doing so is the assumption that more irrigation water means a greater yield. So, eliminating the use of this unnecessary irrigation water could help save the resource, provided that this can be done with low yield losses.

The shortage of water in arid zones represents the most serious obstacle to poverty reduction because it limits the extent to which poor producers of crops and livestock can take advantage of opportunities arising from emerging markets, trade, and globalization. Water shortage in arid zones limits the variety and quantity of crop and livestock products a smallholder can produce, thus narrowing their range of options.

From these workshops and an analysis of project documentation, we can conclude that possibilities for the improvement of water use do exist. These improvements depend not only on technical aspects, but also on organization and policy considerations.

The objective of any national water policy is, normally, to ‘Generate the maximum possible economic value for the nation’. Under water scarcity situations, water should be allocated so that users who generate a higher income per unit volume of water are given priority over those who generate less income. This applies not only to water quantity, but also to water quality. The above statements are valid when water is considered as an economic commodity.

This report explores the different aspects of using treated wastewater as a source of supplemental irrigation for enhancing productivity under rainfed conditions in Algeria.

Almakatei village, located on Alatf canal, was selected purposely to represent the community. Its agricultural land is located across three main districts in Menoufia Governorate – Al Bagour, Shebin Al Koum and Quesna. This was considered as one of the main advantages of selecting this site. El-Menira tertiary on Alatf canal was selected as the site for the study of the pipeline group. It is about 870 m long and it serves an area of about 40 ha. El-Hamra tertiary was selected for the study of the open canal group and serves an area of 30 ha.

The Badia constitutes about 90% of the total land area of Jordan, which is 89 342 km2. Its average annual rainfall is < 200 mm. The area with annual rainfall of 100–200 mm is considered the promising rangeland for rehabilitation. The Badia (part of the rangeland) supplies the livestock sector with about 20% of forage needs, while all the other sources provide the sector with only about 5% of forage.

Agriculture in Syria depends on a wide base of varied natural resources extending over five agro-ecological zones differing in total precipitation, soil structure, and water resources such as rivers, springs, dams, and groundwater which supplies water for about 851,000 ha (61% of the total irrigated areas). However, precipitation is considered as the main source of the water needed to establish the widespread rainfed system of agriculture, which occupies 70% of the cultivated area in Syria.

This report describes the use of improved methodologies developed for identifying water-harvesting sites. It also provides general guidelines for determining site potential in relation to various parameters. The approach integrates multi-disciplinary knowledge, use of GIS, and verification in the field to develop and test a methodology to identify watersheds with specific characteristics – in this case, watersheds most suited to project activities within the Jordanian Badia.

For ICARDA, 2012 has been a time of change and evolution. We have been busy tackling the many issues of dryland agriculture and global food production against a backdrop of focusing our efforts as a force for change for people living in the world's drylands and our areas of scientific expertise.

CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food

Poverty, food insecurity, natural resource degradation and climate change are global challenges; but they impact most severely on rural communities in dry areas. Addressing these challenges requires a combination of good science, integrated research-for-development approaches, and effective partnerships. As this report illustrates, all three elements are in place, resulting in new technologies and tangible benefits in more than 40 countries.