Irrigation Governance Challenges In The Mediterranean Region

This book aims at deriving governance and sustainability lessons from analysing the implementation and management of some major irrigation programs in the Mediterranean Region. Eight countries are targeted, namely: Spain, Italy, Albania, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. The main focus programs include the modernisation and rehabilitation of the existing irrigation systems, the transfer of irrigation management responsibilities to water users’ organizations, public private partnerships arrangements, the monitoring & evaluation of participatory irrigation management and transfer processes, and the governance of groundwater resources for irrigation. The adopted approach relies on learning from the value of each single experience, and on advancing solutions that emerge from their comparative analysis and that may be of guidance to those engaged in these programs. The country experiences indicated that often times, significant shortcomings in the implementation of these programs have occurred and hopefully, this book could be a source of inspiration for the corrective actions needed.

This book aims at deriving governance and sustainability lessons from analysing the implementation and management of some major irrigation programs in the Mediterranean Region. Eight countries are targeted, namely: Spain, Italy, Albania, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. The main focus programs include the modernisation and rehabilitation of the existing irrigation systems, the transfer of irrigation management responsibilities to water users' organizations, public private partnerships arrangements, the monitoring & evaluation of participatory irrigation management and transfer processes, and the governance of groundwater resources for irrigation. The adopted approach relies on learning from the value of each single experience, and on advancing solutions that emerge from their comparative analysis and that may be of guidance to those engaged in these programs. The country experiences indicated that often times, significant shortcomings in the implementation of these programs have occurred and hopefully, this book could be a source of inspiration for the corrective actions needed. .

Mediterranean irrigation is diverse due to, among other factors, the relative importance of water in the economy of each country, varied levels of aridity, heterogeneous levels economic, social and technological levels of development, and differences in political and social organization. However, most of the Mediterranean countries face similar problems to meet their water demands because of the scarcity and variability of renewable resources, growing water requirements from non-agricultural sectors, increasing environmental concerns related to water quality and environmental degradation, a social demand for larger public participation, and important technological changes. The time has come to reconsider the “not one drop lost to the sea” philosophy of yesteryears largely and to 'live within limits'. This book focuses on eight selected countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Egypt) and provides a comparative perspective that both thoroughly explores their specificities and identifies the common challenges faced by the irrigation sector in these countries. The book has been written at a critical moment, when the continued application of a supply-side water management model is revealing its unsustainable nature in numerous places; when significant technological changes are taking place in the irrigation sector; when new forms of management and governance are widely held as badly needed; and finally, when climate change is compounding many of the difficulties that have characterized irrigation policies and practices in the past decades. This complicated future context makes Mediterranean irrigation face various political dilemmas on water management, raising social tensions, triggering territorial and land conflicts, and stimulating new technological developments. This book provides a timely analysis of the particular trajectory of eight Mediterranean countries in these uncertain transformations, and attempts to identify the best strategies to avert or overcome future risks.

Mediterranean irrigation is diverse due to, among other factors, the relative importance of water in the economy of each country, varied levels of aridity, heterogeneous levels economic, social and technological levels of development, and differences in political and social organization. However, most of the Mediterranean countries face similar problems to meet their water demands because of the scarcity and variability of renewable resources, growing water requirements from non-agricultural sectors, increasing environmental concerns related to water quality and environmental degradation, a social demand for larger public participation, and important technological changes. The time has come to reconsider the "not one drop lost to the sea" philosophy of yesteryears largely and to 'live within limits'. This book focuses on eight selected countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Egypt) and provides a comparative perspective that both thoroughly explores their specificities and identifies the common challenges faced by the irrigation sector in these countries. The book has been written at a critical moment, when the continued application of a supply-side water management model is revealing its unsustainable nature in numerous places; when significant technological changes are taking place in the irrigation sector; when new forms of management and governance are widely held as badly needed; and finally, when climate change is compounding many of the difficulties that have characterized irrigation policies and practices in the past decades. This complicated future context makes Mediterranean irrigation face various political dilemmas on water management, raising social tensions, triggering territorial and land conflicts, and stimulating new technological developments. This book provides a timely analysis of the particular trajectory of eight Mediterranean countries in these uncertain transformations, and attempts to identify the best strategies to avert or overcome future risks.

Water Resources in the Mediterranean Region summarizes and collates scientific developments around water resources in the Mediterranean socio-economic environment through a multidisciplinary framework synthesizing hydrology, hydrogeology, climate, bioclimatology, economics, and geography. As such, it provides essential information for any reader looking to learn more about the Mediterranean which is experiencing the impact of climate change and concurrent complex issues of anthropogenic effects, especially in agriculture and other resource uses. Water Resources in the Mediterranean Region covers different challenges in the issue of the evolution of water resources in the Mediterranean. It is intended for PhD students, research scientists, and managers interested in new solutions and approaches for water management and in the forecast of future water dynamics. Offers multidisciplinary content providing global visions of the challenges faced in the Mediterranean region Presents fundamental and operational studies, providing the reader with information on how to implement these actions and results themselves Written in a pedagogical manner, allowing for ease of reading for both researchers and water managers

The role of water in our communities, from local to regional and right up to global levels, poses a series of key questions about climate change, about the anthropogenic impact on the environment, and about all the interconnected actions and events that affect the availability and quality of the resource. All these questions share a common demand for more scientific knowledge and information. In this particular context the disciplinary boundaries are fading, and there is a growing need to create broader connections and wider collaborative interdisciplinary groups, aimed at building an integrated knowledge-base to serve not only stakeholders but also the whole of society. Only in this way can we hope to respond effectively to the challenges and changing dynamics of human-hydrologic systems. Following this concept, contributors from multiple disciplinary backgrounds, such as Law Studies, Hydrogeology, Monitoring and Information Technologies, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Environmental Sciences, Systems Engineering, Economics and Social Studies, joined forces and interacted in this workshop. The present book reports the proceedings of this three-day ARW (Advanced Research Workshop), and explores different aspects of the environmental security assessment process, focusing on the assessment, monitoring and management of water resources, and giving an overview of the related scientific knowledge.

This book puts great emphasis on the importance of Integrated Water Resources Management IWRM as the way forward towards food, water, and energy security. It offers better ways and means of managing the limited water resources; using water more efficiently; adopting new policies in order to cope with climate change and drought; increase water supply through the use of non conventional water resources, especially waste water; inducing stakeholders participation and information exchange and raise public awareness to the value of water. It is an important book for all those involved in all aspects of water resources and contains valuable information for scientists, researchers, farmers, extension services and students.