Countries: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Near East and North Africa
The solution seeks to support local irrigation systems in 3 countries of the North Africa, namely Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, and contribute to the global debate on irrigation by developing and strengthening a multidisciplinary network with 60 researchers, teachers and PhD students from North Africa and France. SIRMA is a partnership-based skills network which is part of a collective of 23 Platforms in Partnership for Research and Training.
The solution contributes to the development of irrigation systems by:
- Reinforcement of irrigation associations and agricultural cooperatives with building the expertise in collective irrigation management through professional training;
- Training of scientists and engineers on the problems and solutions in irrigation management in various countries and situations
- Production of sound and critical research and studies on the major issues faced by the irrigated agriculture in the Mediterranean region;
- Formulation of policy recommendations on the management of water resources.
SIRMA serves as an expertise hub and a bridge between the major agricultural engineering universities in North Africa and local irrigation associations, irrigation managers and policy makers.
The essential feature of the solution is direct involvement of local farmers' organizations in the process of developing new solutions in water and irrigation management in partnership with researchers and water and irrigation managers. The solution has proved that the capacity building of farmers' organizations has a direct impact on the management of irrigation systems (allocation, distribution, application), and, in general, has a multiplier effect in other domains related to agricultural production and local development.
The solution can be scaled up by extending SIRMA to the East of the Mediterranean, which will be of mutual benefit to the members of the network and new partners, bringing in new potential, knowledge and skills to the solid ground of the existing expertise in the network.
The estimated budget for the solution is USD 1.4 millions required for the networking and development of 1) professional training for irrigation associations, 2) common training modules at BSc and MSc level and 3) action research.
Partners:
International Centre for Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), Institute for Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Hassan II (IAV), National School for Agriculture Meknes (ENAM), National High School for Agronomy Algiers (ENSA), University Centre of Khmis Miliana (CUKM), National Institute for Rural Engineering, Water and Forests, Tunis (INRGREF), National Institute for Agronomy of Tunis (INAT), Institute for Research for Development, Marseille (IRD), National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier (CIHEAM), Paris Institute for Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences (AgroParisTech), National Institute of Further Education in Agricultural Science, Montpellier (SupAgro).
Contact details:
CIRAD
Avenue Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, u2028France.
IAV Hassan II
Medinat El Irfane, Rabat, Morocco.
Dr. Marcel Kuper
Phone number: + 212 6 71 43 46 79
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.