Info/Training 5: Forestry approaches to reduce water scarcity in the Near East:Achieving results, By Alberto Del Lungo, FAO Forestry Department ,Land and Water Days in Near East & North Africa, 15-18 December 2013, Amman, Jordan

1. Near East & North Africa
15-18 December 2013
Info/Training 5:
Forestry approaches to reduce water scarcity in the Near East:
Achieving results
Alberto Del Lungo,
FAO Forestry Department

2. NENA Countries
• Evapotranspiratio
n exceeds
precipitation – no
matter the
amount
• Water scarcity
limits the
production of
crops forage,
wood and other
ecosystem
services
World Drylands

3. Forestry
in some Mediterranean countries with arid
zones
Country Total forest
area
mill ha
Planted forest
area
mill ha
% tot for
Libya
0.2
0.2
100
Sudan
70
6.1
8.7
Turkey
11
3.4
30.2
Spain
18
2.7
14.7
Egypt
0.07
0.07
100
Tunisia
1
0.7
70
Source: FAO Forest Resource Assessment 2010

4. Critical issues in arid zones
from the Forestry point of view
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Water scarcity
Deforestation and forest degradation
Soil erosion and low water retention
capacity
Desertification
Climate change
Low land productivity coupled with droughts
Low priority in national policies
Lack of capacity
Low, short-term investment
Poverty and increased population

5. What Forestry Department does on forest
and water related issues to address
water scarcity in Near East and North
African Countries?
• Watershed Management
• Use of Non Conventional Waters in Forestry
and Agroforestry Systems
• Support good practices for
Afforestation/Reforestation in Arid Zones

6. Watershed (?)
The geographical area drained by a water
course
The concept apply to units ranging from a farm crossed by a
creek to a large river or a lake basin

7. Watershed environmental
services and benefits

8. Watershed risks and threats
• Population growth, abandonment
• Pressure on NR, degradation,
desertification
• Increasing hazards
• Infrastructures
• Poor afforestation practices
• Climate change

9. Watershed Management (?)

10. Addressing the normative work

11. New integrated approach

12. Building international partnerships

13. Stakeholder involvement in
watershed management

14. ... And country capacity building ...

15. Forestry’s Watershed Management Field Projects
1992-2012
NENA Countries

16. Use of non conventional waters in arid zones, why?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
To improve availability of water in arid
zones
To reduce forestry and agroforestry
degradation
To reduce soil erosion and low water
retention capacity
To combat Desertification
To improve land productivity
To strengthen country capacity building
To ensure food security and poverty
alleviation

17. Treated waste water, why?
•
•
•
•
•
Arid zones countries are lacking of fresh water and are
“reach” of untreated waste water
Waste water discharged in the environment creates serious
problems of environmental pollution and increase of soil
salinity and desertification
BUT
If treated well can provide an alternative source of water
and reduce competition for fresh water
Can be safely used on fruit trees and in forestry systems
for provision of wood and biomass
Can be used on integrated landscape management:
forestry and agroforestry systems

18. Use of treated waste water in forestry and
agroforestry systems of arid zones
GCP/RAB/013/ITA
Transfer of
innovative methodologies adopted for treating water
• Phyto-depuration: Wastewater is filtered by vegetation
• Ferti-irrigation system: the wastewater used is only
partially treated. Most of the organic matter is re-used for
irrigation purposes to increase carbon storage in the soil

19. Project activities during the first year
•
•
•
•
ALGERIA: Transfer of knowledge and
technologies on phyto-depuration
EGYPT: Support country capacity building
to ensure sustainable management of
forests irrigated with treated waste water
MOROCCO: Transfer of knowledge and
technologies on fertirrigation
TUNISIA: Transfer of knowledge and
technologies on phyto-depuration and
fertirrigation

20. Strengthening transfer of knowledge through networking and
communication
•
•
•
•
•
•
PhD student University of Marrakech –
University of Basilicata
Training in Egypt
Workshop in Marrakech, Morocco
Workshop in Cairo, Egypt
Workshop in Potenza, Italy
Project website as document repository of
the project activities
www.fao.org/forestry/tww

21. Expected impacts
• Increased quality and availability of water for
agro-forestry production
• Increased food security
• Enhanced income opportunities
• Desertification control and improvement of soil
quality and productivity
• Facilitate networking and exchange of information
on the use of TWW
• Transfer of knowledge and integration within
Mediterranean countries

22. •
THANK YOU