SUSTAINABLE USE OF IRRIGATION WATER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION (SIRRIMED)

SIRRIMED project will address issues related to sustainable use of water in Mediterranean irrigated agricultural systems, with the overall aim of optimizing irrigation water use. The approach proposed in SIRRIMED for reaching this goal will be based in an Integrated Water Irrigation Management (IWIM) where the improving water use efficiency will be considered at farm, irrigation district and watershed scales. This strategy implies the innovation of more efficient irrigation techniques improving water productivity that permit savings in water consumption. SIRRIMED will consider the development, test and validation of new deficit irrigation strategies, the sustainable use of poor quality waters and the improvement of precise irrigation scheduling using plant sensors. These new techniques will be integrated with suitable husbandry irrigation practices. At the district scale, efforts should be directed towards an integrated policy of water allocation which accounts for the characteristics and specificity of each farm, requiring the availability of data bases and management tools (decision support systems) specifically designed to fulfil the objectives of maximizing water use efficiency. At the watershed scale, priority should be devoted to the assessment of new models of water governance, and the definition of strategies and policies aimed at promoting a more responsible use of irrigation water. Finally, SIRRIMED will establish a sound dissemination strategy for transfer of knowledge towards the end users, with a very important approach to facilitate an adequate involvement of stakeholders (farmers, association of irrigation users, water authorities and SMEs)