Programme régional d’economie d’eau d’irrigation dans le gouvernorat de Gabès: essai d’évaluation
New Medit, vol 7, n. 2, (June 2008), pp. 31-35
Language: FR
Jel classification: O180, Q250
The increasing water scarcity in dry areas is nowadays a well-known problem. The agricultural sector is so far the largest user of water resources (70 to 80 %). The greatest potential for water saving lies in the improvement of the irrigation water efficiency. Over the last few decades, efforts have been made in Tunisia to improve the irrigation efficiencies by identifying opportunities for saving water and increasing water productivity. Enhanced in 1995 by the Regional Agriculture Authority in Gabès (CRDA), the regional program for water saving in irrigation (PREE) allowed to improve the irrigation systems and the farmers organization in order to operate and manage the irrigation water in the Oasis of Gabès (13,000 ha). Currently, water saving facilities were implemented in nearly 72 % of the total irrigated area with a cost of 61.2 million Tunisian Dinars (1 euro = 1.8 TND). This study is an attempt at assessing the impacts and benefits generated by the PREE from the irrigation water sources to the on-farm facilities. Results showed that the improvement of the existing facilities and of the irrigation and drainage systems allowed to better use the existing water supplies and to increase the irrigated area, the cropping intensity and the agricultural production. Some key recommendations are made to improve the on-farm irrigation system management.
Water saving, irrigation efficiency, coastal oasis
