CIHEAM
Founded in 1962, the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic
Studies (CIHEAM) is an intergovernmental organization including 13 Mediterranean
member countries (Albania, Algeria, Egypt, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon,
Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia and Turkey).
The four MAIs of Bari, Chania, Montpellier and Zaragoza are where most of CIHEAM's
educational, research and cooperation work is carried out. Every year an average of
400 students are enrolled on full-time diploma courses, including 300 scholarship
students, and about 1,000 more take specialised short-duration courses at the MAIs.
CIHEAM-MAIB
The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (MAIB) is a Centre for
post-graduate training, applied scientific research and promoter of in-loco
partnership actions in the framework of the international cooperation
programmes, it works in four thematic areas:
• Land and water resources management
• Integrated pest management of Mediterranean fruit crops
• Mediterranean organic agriculture
• Sustainable agriculture, food and rural development
Background
In the Mediterranean Basin, agriculture is one of the major economic driving
forces contributing to more than 50% of the gross income of the region. Due
to unfavourable climate and land conditions, agriculture almost completely
relies on irrigation, and water withdrawal for agricultural use accounts for
more than 80% of total abstraction of freshwater. Nevertheless, irrigated
agriculture is markedly inefficient since water losses are estimated at more
than 50% of sectoral water withdrawal and thus result in gradual degradation
of the most fertile soils. Such mismanagement of resources is mainly due to
scarce technology application and poor local capacity building, insufficient
exchange and dissemination of information at local and regional scale, lack of
qualified personnel, lack of funds, etc.
Background
In the region, demand for land and water resources is dramatically
increasing in a regional context of high population growth, fast
urbanization and expansion of economic activities. However, both land
and water are very limited resources and their mismanagement can
negatively affect sustainable development of the entire region, cause
economic decline and food deficit problems and undermine efforts for
peace and stability.
Strategies
In view of that, more efficient Land and Water Management in
Mediterranean agriculture is of crucial importance for the region on the road
approaching sustainability, economic and technological development and
integration into globalization processes and international markets.
CLIMATE
AGRICULTURE
WATER
LAND
CAPACITY BUILDING
Strategies
In this perspective, since the beginning of the nineties, the Land and Water
Division of MAIB has been developing its strategies and identifying the
priority research lines in close cooperation with outstanding institutions and
researchers from the Mediterranean region.
Accordingly, using a participatory approach, three parallel research networks,
namely
• Non-conventional Water Resources Management (NWRM)
• Water Use Efficiency (WUE)
• Collective Irrigation Systems (CIS)
have been established involving high level researchers and decision makers
from most of the Mediterranean countries.
Strategies
The success in water saving and land and water conservation depends
on the level of understanding and integration of technical,
environmental, socio-economic, institutional and cultural contexts.
Land & Water Resource Management
in Mediterranean Agriculture
TECHNICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
ECONOMIC
INTEGRATED APPROACH
SOCIAL
Objectives
The specific objectives of MAIB Division on “Land and Water Resources
Management” are focused mainly on irrigated agriculture and endeavour
to improve:
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
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Water use efficiency and water productivity;
On-Farm irrigation systems performance;
Large-scale irrigation systems performance and new technologies;
Use of non-conventional water resources;
Integration and up-scaling of the above issues at the basin level;
Sustainable use and management of Mediterranean soils;
Socio-economic aspects of Mediterranean agriculture;
Human resources development and capacity building.
Multilevel approach through the interaction of various topics/aspects
Source of water
Water demand
Group of sectors and
water delivery network
District
Water management
scaling down
Agricultural management
scaling up
Group of farms, group of hydrants
and delivery network branch
Sector
Water management
scaling down
Agricultural management
scaling up
Canopy - Field
One farm & one hydrant
Water management
Agricultural management
scaling down
scaling up
Plant
Water supply method
Activities
The activities (Education and Training, Research, Cooperation) are complementary
and focus on both specific local conditions and global problems of the entire region.
The activities embrace different scales of applications (plant/canopy, farm, water
distribution system, watershed/basin and region) and comprise various field of
expertise:
 agro-meteorology
 plant eco-physiology
 crop water requirements and irrigation scheduling
 crop growth modelling
 agronomic practices for water saving (deficit irrigation)
Agro-meteorological station
Infrared thermometer
Activities
 watershed hydrology and soil water balance
 collective irrigation systems design and modelling
 irrigation systems performance
 use of non-conventional water resources
 soil survey and land conservation
 GIS-based territorial studies
 socio-economic and environmental aspects of irrigated agriculture
 climate variability and changes
Canopy chamber
Experimental fields
Activities
Land and Water Department uses the following supporting structures:
 Laboratory for soil physics and environmental monitoring
 Agro-meteorological station and laboratory
 Laboratory for plant analysis
 Laboratory for plant eco-physiology
 Laboratory for hydraulics
 Radar station for meteorological monitoring and forecasting
 GIS unit for territorial studies
 Greenhouse for the experiments under controlled and under soilless conditions
 Off-ground drainage lysimeter station
 Experimental fields
 Classrooms and computer rooms
Education & Training
MAI-Bari offers original and varied training courses on the thematic areas
connected
to its competence
and completelyspecialization
in line with thecourse
training activities
 Long-term
recurrent post-graduate
carried out by the national Institutions of the students’ countries of origin.
Long-term recurrent post-graduate specialization course
• held annually since 1962 and designed for graduated agronomist
and engineers and young professionals
• extendible to the 2nd year leading up to the MSc diploma
Short-term (on-demand) courses
• tailor-made for specific needs of professionals in mid-carrier
• held on request of international organizations, governmental
agencies, research institutions, cooperation programs, etc.
Thematic stages
• on request either of individuals or of an organization for specific
needs at different levels of professional carrier
• have very specific objectives and organized for few persons
Education & Training
Research
In the last decade (2000-2009), the overall approach and the research lines of the
Land and Water Division have advanced following the progress of policies and
strategies on land and water resource management in the Mediterranean region.
In fact, at the beginning of this decade, the network activities focused on
“Water Resources Management” partitioned into three main research lines:
Land & Water Resources
Management Thematic Area
Water
Use
Efficiency
Collective
Irrigation
Systems
Non-conventional
Water Resources
Management
Research
Later on, by the end of this decade, activities have been extended in order to achieve the new
objectives focussing on the integrated approach and sustainable “Land and Water Management”
that consider agronomic, engineering, socio-economic and environmental aspects. Consequently,
three main research lines have been enriched by new topics and integrated at catchment/basin
scale together with a new research line on “Socio-economic and environmental aspects of land
and water management”.
Land & Water Resources
Management Thematic Area
Water
Use
Efficiency
Collective
Irrigation
Systems
Non-conventional
Water Resources
Management
Integration at catchment/Basin scale
Research
Thematic areas and corresponding research lines of the Land and Water Division are:
Water use efficiency
• Crop response to water and irrigation scheduling
• Crop growth modelling
On-farm irrigation methods
• Analysis of hydraulic performance
Distribution systems
• Design and performance analysis of distribution systems
Non-conventional waters
• Mediterranean crop production on saline soils
• Re-use and recycling of treated municipal water
• Saline irrigation practices and management
Research at catchment/basin/regional scale
• Catchment hydrology and territorial studies
• Socio-economic and environmental aspects of irrigated agriculture
Land management research activities
• Land degradation, desertification and integrated coastal zone management
• Soil use, management and monitoring
Cooperation
The international cooperation and partnership projects aim at
implementation of research findings on the ground and represent the
continuation of research programs. The activities are focussed on exchange
and transfer of innovative approaches and technology while preserving and
improving the productive values of Mediterranean agriculture and promoting
sustainable development of land and water resources. These activities are
realized mainly through the financial support of the European Commission
Programs, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - General Direction for
Cooperation and Development and other international and regional funding
agencies.
Research & Cooperation Projects
ACLIMAS
(2012-2014)
CLIMAWARE
(2010-2013)
ECOWATER
(2011-2014)
GESAP
(2010-2011)
Adaptation to Climate Change of the
Mediterranean Agricultural Systems
Impacts of climate change on water
resources management
Meso-level eco-efficiency indicators to
assess technologies and their uptake in
water use sectors
Development of a model for the
sustainable management of the aquifers in
the Apulia Region
Research & Cooperation Projects
INCAM
(2011-2012)
INTERRA
(2011-2014)
MEDPRO
(2010-2013)
PUER
(2009-2011)
Improving National Assessment and Monitoring
Capacities for Integrated Environmental and
Coastal ecosystem Management
Technology and process innovations for irrigation
reuse of treatedmunicipal and agro-industrial
wastewaters in order to achieve sustainable water
resources management
Prospective Analysis for the Mediterranean
Region
Program for the Protection, Rational and
Efficient Use of Water Resources
Research & Cooperation Projects
SCENES
(2006-2010)
SEDEMA
(209-2011)
SUWARESA
(2011-2013)
WASSERMED
(2010-2012)
Water Scenarios for Europe and for
Neighboring States
Multifunctional Decision Support System
for Agricultural practices
Capacity and knowledge building on the
Sustainable Use of WAter REsources in
Syrian Agriculture
Water Availability and Security
in Southern EuRope and the Mediterranean