Managing water scarcity for sustainable irrigation in the Southern Mediterranean region
1998
Alghariani, S.A. (Alfateh Univ., Tripoli (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya))
The potentiality available water supplies on renewable basis are insufficient to meet the continuously rising water demands of irrigated agriculture and other socio-economic activities. The problems of water scarcity are discussed and understood in terms of the local water basins as a whole. Water movement and cyclicity within these basins are used to develop managerial strategies for maximizing water-use efficiency at the basin level. It is concluded that most water basins in the region have been developed to their full potential and are approaching a "closed system" state. The Jefara water basin in north-western Libya is introduced as an illustrative example. Irrigated agriculture can be sustained at its present rate of expansion only through reopening the water basins to further water supplies from seawater desalting or interbasin water transfers. The Lybian experience with its Man-made River project provides a good example for water transfer economics in the region.
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