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MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT
A semi-arid climate:
Irregular and low rainfalls
Unbalanced Rainfall-Evapotranspiration ratio
→ Frequent droughts
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE ISLAND (1) Insularity → dependence on ground water and rainfalls
Recent changes in climate:
- increase of temperature: 0,5°C
- rainfalls reduction: 1mm by year / nowadays 500 mm annually
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
1915 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005
m1
m1 - s1
m1 + s1
m2 + s2
m2 - s2
m2
Hydrological years
Reg
iona
l sta
ndar
dise
d an
nual
pre
cipi
tati
on
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE ISLAND (2)
Shortage of water
→ reduction of water resources of 40 %,
Droughts are more severe than predicted
IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
Some key figures:
4,5% of the GDP
10% of the working population
30% of the amount of exportations
The Cypriot agriculture facing water
management problems
PROBLEMS
How does Cyprus try to reconcile agricultural development and shortage of water, just before its
entry in the EU ?
Sustainable development:
Development that allows to all populations which live on earth to satisfy its needs without jeopardizing possibilities of futures generations. (World commission for environment and development, 1987).
I. AGRICULTURE AND WATER1. Agricultural activities2. Water resource mobilization3. Water distribution4. Limits of the system
II. SOCIOECONOMICS ASPECTS1. Public awareness2. Limits of the actual policy3. Consequences
III. MEDITERRANEAN APPROACH AND EUROPEAN PROSPECTS1. Mediterranean programs2. European programs3. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC): a north-
European policy
MAIN CULTURES
Main productions (in tons)
0
20 000
40 000
60 000
80 000
100 000
120 000
140 000
160 000
DAMS BUILDING POLICY (2)
Wide scale works:
106 works
total capacity : 325 000 000 MCM (6 200 000 MCM in the early 60s)
IRRIGATION Agricultural Research Institute’s works (water needs of crops and irrigation methods)
Government subsidies
LIMITS OF THIS SYSTEM
Damages to ecosystems downstream of dams
Water losses in minor networks (30%)
Sociological consequences
Total dependence toward climate conditions→ water recycling and desalination
Agriculture is:
- A water consuming activity
- But an activity that enable people to earn their lives
→ How to conciliate these two objectives ?
AWARENESS,A MEAN TO CONCIALIATE ?
Increase awareness of government, actual and future citizens, farmers
1. Media
2. Organisms: the C.C.F, the A.R.I, the W.D.D …
3. Projects: Pitsilia Integrated Rural
Development Project
4. Measures: price of water
Means that are used:
2. Organisms:
The C.C.F.: Cyprus Conservation Foundation
The A.R.I.: Agricultural Research Institute
The W.D.D.: Water Development
Department
When economy is more important than ecology:
Contradictions at the A.R.I.: water consuming species, counter season cultures
Tourism: services = 75% of GDP
However, this increasing of awareness has limits…
A slackening of vigilance: dams are full. Last three years rainfalls were good
A system to improve:
A lack of communication: inside and between institutions (A.R.I., W.D.D.) and with farmers
A lack of organization: no independent ministry of environment
Some mistakes: water recycled problem and farmers reluctance
CONSEQUENCES
A less effective increasing of awareness
A break in the evolution of farmers minds
Hard-to-apply measures:
Ex: price of water: a less important waste or a more important pumping of aquifers ?
MEDCODESAL (1997-2000):
Mediterranean cooperation for water desalination policies in the perspective of a sustainable development
WASAMED (2003-2005):
Water saving in Mediterranean agriculture
MEDITERRANEAN PROGRAMS
IRRISPLIT (2000-2003):
Partial Root Drying: A sustainable irrigation system for efficient water use without reducing yield
HORTIMED (2000-2003):
Sustainable Water Use in Protected Mediterranean Horticulture
EUROPEAN PROGRAMS
WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (2000/60/EC)
This directive recommends to :
Create a management system
Make all players implied in water management participate Reduce and control pollution
Apply water price policy
WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE:A NORTH-EUROPEAN POLICY
Cyprus: an island scaled management
A management of quantity for 40 years…
…but…
A real chance to evolve on a long term
A recent will to manage water quality
Hydrographic network
Agriculture: an important activity
A Mediterranean agriculture
An important work to mobilize water resource
Aware populations despite communications problems
EU entry: a step forward but a lot of work to do
a special conception of agricultural sustainable development