SASSARI -- The results of a study involving the Desertification Research Centre of this Sardinian city’s university show that desertification and drought can be fought by managing groundwater.

 The artificial recharge of aquifers as a solution to save water in arid countries at risk of desertification, making it available for agriculture and other uses, is a technique that was developed through Wadis-Mar (Water harvesting and Agricultural techniques in Dry lands: an Integrated and Sustainable model in the Maghreb Regions).

 This is a project that during the last four and a half years has involved the Desertification Research Centre of the University of Sassari, as coordinator, the University of Barcelona, the Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel, in Tunis, the Institut des Régions Arides in Medenine, Tunisia, and the Agence Nationale des Ressources Hydrauliques of Algiers.

 Funded by the European Union, Wadis-Mar’s final objective was to achieve a sustainable method and intigrate water harvesting and water and agricultural management in the North African regions of Oued Biskra (Algeria) and Oum Zessar (Tunisia), both characterized by scarcity of water resources, over-exploitation of groundwater and a high vulnerability to the risks linked to climate change.

 The project arose from an idea of Giuseppe Enne (President of the scientific committee of the Desertification Research Centre on the University of Sassari): to rescue from the dispersion and evaporation million cubic meters of water that, in a tumultuous and violent way, suddenly flow into the Wadi (periodic and ephemeral streams typical of arid zones) during a period of 2-3 weeks. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) was the technique suggested by Giorgio Ghiglieri, professor of Hydrogeology at the University of Cagliari and the WADIS-MAR project coordinator.

 The project, taking into account the local tradition experiences and the study of the hydro- geological composition of the territory in the two intervention areas , analyses the possibility of using groundwater for a variety of purposes, thus not only for irrigation but for drinking also.

 Through a large multidisciplinary research effort (geology, hydrogeology, hydrochemistry, agronomy etc.), it was possible to implement some artificial recharge interventions in two aquifers that had been identified. These measures included the use of the MAR systems, designed to capture the surface waters of the Wadi, allowing its accumulation in the aquifers, in order to increase the availability of groundwater resources and reset the evaporation.

 Again, investments were made to disseminate agro-meteorological information and weather reports and to train local personnel. In addition, the project introduced suitable cropping systems related to irrigation or the appropriate use of salty waters, able to increase the yield productivity in areas where the lack of water negatively affects the growth of trees and herbaceous crops.

 Finally, within the capacity building action carried out by the project, 17 training workshops were attended by 220 people, and about 47% of them were women. The workshops aimed at transferring knowledge on sustainable and integrated management of water resources in agriculture.

 "The first thing to understand is that, in arid areas, there is water even if in scarce quantity. You only have to learn how to manage it in an appropriate way,” Giorgio Ghiglieri explains: “What we need is a broad spectrum of actions aimed at changing both the water management methods and the awareness of this precious resource, which is limited.” It can be done avoiding water waste, Ghiglieri goes ahead “by teaching population how to save water in agriculture using appropriate techniques". That is not all. In order to avoid the dangers of drought, it is important to be prepared and avoid emergencies: "Prevention has to be done at all levels,” Ghiglieri adds. “Training population, farmers, and technicians, up to policy makers. These efforts have a cost, but the price to pay when the calamity has already happened it would be much higher.”

 Recently the results of Wadis- Mar project have been discussed in an international conference organized in Sassari by the Desertification Research Centre. This event brought into the city of north Sardinia a wide range of internationally renowned scientific personalities and institutions to discuss issues such as growing desertification and water scarcity. Among them Andrew H. Manning of the US Geological Survey, Rudy Rossetto of Sant'Anna School of Pisa, Giovanni Barrocu of the University of Cagliari, Daniel Tsegai of the UNCCD (United Nations Organization to Combat Desertification), Wail Benjelloun, president of UNIMED (Union of Mediterranean Universities), Wafa Essahli, chair of "Desertnet international," Grammenos Mastrojeni, Counsellor and Italian focal point at the UNCCD.

 The forum was also an opportunity to see leading representatives of world organizations working with scholars and experts in the drafting of recommendations, addressed to the institutions and the education community. Among them: the need to improve the involvement of stakeholders, first of all farmers. The need to promote interdisciplinary researches carried out by partnerships of experts in different fields coming from different countries. The need to recognize the important role of scientific research to support investments aiming at improving the quality and availability of water.

 More than a quarter of the planet is at risk of desertification. The baseline scenario is the current one, illustrated by Daniel Tsegai: "Drylands cover 39.7% of the earth surface, where more than 34% of the population of the planet live" he says. “The problem is exacerbated by soil degradation,” Tsegai adds. Along with climate change and human action, which affect a lot. How to ensure a future for generations to come?

  A proposal comes from Dirk Raes, professor at the University of Lueven, in Belgium, who, for the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), has developed a successful system tested both in Ethiopia and Bolivia: by inserting into a mathematical model, which he has contributed to create, data on soil, crops and climate, it is possible to assess the productivity per unit area of consumed land in advance. Basically, along with some tricks such as the anticipation of the sowing season or the irrigation made only in certain moments of the crop cycle, this will allow to double the harvest (thus having more food) using less water.

 Wadis-Mar, a model of good practice. "Experience has shown that the availability of water resources is necessary but not sufficient to guarantee a good use of water,” says Pier Paolo Roggero, director of the Desertification Research Centre of the Univeristy of Sassari, says. “Moreover, a fair water governance is often hindered by inadequate institutions and rules, and unclear or overlapping competencies among the various agencies and institutions that should deal with it.” The same concerns were highlighted by the Conference participants who were invited to draw recommendations to institutions. In addition to those already mentioned, other recommendations included: education, collaboration between institutions and organizations, multidisciplinary research and education, the enhancement of the local population knowledge, the involvement of stakeholders in research and policy, the development of networks at basin-scale, the development of research network, in-depth debate on the economic value of water before fixing the price, and the necessity to raise awareness through local actions and mass media.

 WADIS-MAR started in 2012 and is one of the five demonstration projects within the SWIM (Sustainable Water Integrated Management) regional program, funded by the European Union.

 For further information visit www.wadismar.euor https://en.uniss.it/nrd

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