a brief view on WADIS-MAR Project Prof. Giorgio Ghiglieri – Salvatore G.P. VIRDIS, PhD - Project Funded by the European Union (ENPI/2011/ ) Implemented by SWIM Second Steering Committee Meeting 17 th - 18 th October 2012 Project website: Sustainable Water Integrated Management (SWIM) Demonstration Project

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 2 Description of the action and its effectiveness WADIS-MAR Overall and specific objectives General objective –to improve living standards of the rural population –to combat water scarcity/drought and overexploitation –to mitigate ongoing desertification processes in the framework of climate change Specific objectives –to increase water availability through artificial aquifer recharge and evapotranspiration reduction –to enhance water quality by reducing pollution caused by unsustainable farm practices –to manage flood flow, run-off and hence reduce erosion –to promote water efficient farming systems and the use of more stress-tolerant crops –To promote best agricultural practices

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 3 WADIS-MAR: THE CHALLENGE Physical/environmental socio-economic baseline study Knowledge-based technological support Public participated activities EXTERNAL SIDE LOCAL SIDE Intervention planning “Soft” intervention Efficient, durable, sustainable and replicable action

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 4 WADIS-MAR Partnership Algeria Spain Italy Tunisia UB NRD IRA ANRH OSS Partner 4 (Algeria) ANRH - Agence Nationale des Ressources Hydrauliques Partner 2 (Tunisia) OSS - Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel The Applicant (ITALY) NRD Desertification Research Group Partner 3 (Tunisia) IRA - Institut des Régions Arides Partner 1 (SPAIN) Universitat de Barcelona

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 5 Wadi Oum Zessar watershed (Tunisia)

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 6 Wadi Oum Zessar watershed (Tunisia) Tabia Terrace Natural water recharge system Spill way Cultivation Strengths and how to improveWeaknesses and how to improve Well adapted technique  maintenance works Risks related to the climatic changes  combination with supplemental irrigation/tillage Well known technique  trainig of new generations Risk of local know how disappearance  Training of new generations Productivity of the land is very low  Development of alternative income generation activities Land ownership fragmentation  New land access

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 7 Wadi Oum Zessar watershed (Tunisia) Strengths and how to improveWeaknesses and how to improve Robust and flexible structures  Regular and good maintenance Accumulation of sediments  Desilting Efficient structures  Regular and good maintenance They can not be fully exploited by the farmers  Change regulations Expensive, cost not affordable by normal farmers  Continue subsidising by the government. Recharge well Artificial water recharge system

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 8 Selected agricultural areas object of the intervention (Tunisia)

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 9 Wadi Biskra watershed (Algeria) 10 km BISKRA

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 10 Wadi Biskra watershed (Algeria)

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 11 Wadi Biskra watershed (Algeria) Selected agricultural areas object of the intervention

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 12 Wadi Biskra watershed (Algeria) Systèmes de recharge en Algérie –Par épandage d’eau de crues sur de grandes surfaces « Système Legros » –Par lâchers des barrages –Système ANRH (2000):par bassins d’infiltration –Système de retenues en «big-bag» ( ) –Système des grands bassins ( ) –Injection d’eau dans les puits et forages

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 13 WADIS-MAR expected results Result 1  Integrated Water and Agricultural Management (IWAM) System is built Result 2  Agricultural practices and rational irrigation techniques are improved Result 3  Capacity building and awareness in local and national institutions are improved Agriculture WHT & MAR Involvement

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 14 Activity 1 - Project Management and coordination Activity 2 - Integrated Water and Agricultural Management (IWAM) System design Activity 3 - IWAM System construction Activity 4 - Performance assessment and maintenance phase Activity 5 - Awareness raising and capacity building Activity 6 - Dissemination WADIS-MAR breakdown of the activities

SWIM-SM Steering Committee meeting 17th – 18 th October 2012 Bruxelles 15 Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel IRA ANRH UNISS Thank you for your attention For additional information please contact: or visit