Damascus-SANA
Evaluation of the results of the rehabilitation of the irrigation projects of Ain al-Qusayr and al-Houla in Homs governorate and its positive repercussions on farmers was the focus of the workshop that was held today at the Al-Assad Library in Damascus, in the presence of the Minister of Water Resources, Dr. Country World Food Program in Syria Ross Smith.
Minister Raad emphasized in a speech during the workshop that the rehabilitation of irrigation projects is one of the priorities of the ministry’s work in the current stage, and that its strategy in this sector includes the rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage systems, water and climate measurement systems, in addition to studying salinity and building the capacities of farmers in managing field irrigation networks through associations Water users to support them in securing livelihoods by investing their lands.
Minister Raad referred to the challenges facing the water sector, such as the negative effects of the Western economic blockade, climatic changes, and the need to rehabilitate damaged irrigation facilities to ensure the return of the displaced to work on their lands, pointing out the importance of raising the productivity of the cubic meter of irrigation water by switching to suitable crops and breeds that achieve food security and the use of techniques Irrigation guide for water, rehabilitation and equipping of water resources measurement and control systems.
In turn, the representative of the FAO, Mike Robson, explained that the goal of the workshop is to review what has been accomplished to draw conclusions and benefit from observations, pointing out that the two projects included training a large number of farmers and technicians to use modern technologies in work sites, and that the organization is working to rehabilitate the largest possible number of water projects in order to support Farmers, in cooperation with government agencies.
In turn, the country director of the Food Program, Ross Smith, indicated that the projects that are implemented achieve the desired economic goals through farmers investing in their lands in a sustainable manner and dispensing with food baskets.
Director General of the General Authority for Scientific Agricultural Research, Dr. Magda Mufleh, pointed out the importance of developing irrigation techniques, raising the technical and economic efficiency of networks, and introducing advanced technologies to improve the productivity of irrigated agriculture, indicating that cooperation between the Authority and “FAO” contributed to building the capacity of technicians, training 340 farmers in Homs, and setting irrigation schedules for crops. Determining its water needs, forming water user associations, and evaluating the natural resources of the entire Homs Governorate.
The workshop was attended by Assistant Minister Engineer Mahmoud Al-Kaar, Engineer Jihad Kanaan, Advisor to the Minister, Engineer Osama Al-Akhras, Director General of the Public Authority for Remote Sensing, Dr. Abdul Majeed Al-Kafri, and a number of stakeholders in the Ministry.
Tariq Al-Sayed
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