Diagnosis and Control of Salinity and Nitrate Pollution in Mediterranean Irrigated Agriculture

Objective

Agricultural intensification may be constrained by limited water resources and increased environmental pollution of soils and waters in the Mediterranean region. In particular irrigated agriculture may induce negative impacts on the quantity and quality of natural resources such as land degradation by salinization and sodification ("on-site" impacts) and increased salt and nitrate loads in irrigation return flows (IRF) and receiving water bodies ("off-site" impacts). An environment-integrated management of these constrained water and soil resources is essential. Thus, the EU Water Framework Directive should implement water-pollution regulatory standards and policies regulating the discharge and quality of IRF. The aim of this project is to provide scientific , technical and socio-economic information on salt and Nitrogen contamination, and on pollution control measures in Medit. irrigated agriculture. The project addresses the INCO-MPC call in activities B.1.1 (Comprehensive water policy and integrated plannin g) and, particularly, B.1.2 (Improving the water consumption efficiency and effectiveness by users and uses). Seven research partners from 6 different countries (Algeria, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Kingdom) will participate for the four years of the project. The main activities of the project are: 1) input-output irrigation-district mass balances and assessment of salt and nitrogen pollution effects of present agricultural management 2) model simulation studies analysing best management strategies for pollution control 3) evaluation of these strategies in selected pilot field trials (4) socio-economic analysis of present agricultural management and of source-sink pollution control management alternatives, and 5) dissemination of results to water users and policy makers. Feedback with project end-users will take place via the participation of nine stakeholders, thus ensuring that all relevant issues are properly addressed.

Field of science

• /natural sciences/earth and related environmental sciences/hydrology
• /social sciences/political science/political policy/public policy
• /natural sciences/earth and related environmental sciences/environmental sciences/pollution
• /agricultural sciences/agriculture, forestry, and fisheries/agriculture
• /natural sciences/chemical sciences/inorganic chemistry/inorganic compounds

Programme(s)

• FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006.

Topic(s)

• INCO-2003-B1.1 - Comprehensive policy and integrated planning
• INCO-2003-B1.2 - Improving the water consumption by users and uses.

Call for proposal

FP6-2003-INCO-MPC-2
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project

Coordinator

MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC INSTITUTE OF ZARAGOZA / INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC STUDIES

Address

Avda Montañana 1005
Zaragoza
Spain

Participants (6)

CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y TECNOLOGÍA AGROALIMENTARIA DE ARAGÓN / DIPUTACIÓN GENERAL DE ARAGÓN

Spain

Address

Avda. Montañana 930
Zaragoza

CUKUROVA UNIVERSITY

Turkey

Address

Balcali
Adana

INSTITUT NATIONAL AGRONOMIQUE

Algeria

Address

Hassen Badi
El Harrach

INSTITUTE NATIONAL AGRONOMIQUE DE TUNISIE

Tunisia

Address

Avenue Charles Nicole 34, Cité Mahrajène
Tunis

INSTITUTE OF AGRONOMY AND VETERINARY HASSAN II

Morocco

Address

Madinate Al Irfane
Rabat

UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING

United Kingdom

Address

None
Stirling