ATP 2004

The Cypriot agriculture facing water

management problems

Introduction

Characteristics of the Cypriot Republic

CYRPUS: A MEDITERANEAN ISLAND

MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT

A semi-arid climate:

Irregular and low rainfalls

Unbalanced Rainfall-Evapotranspiration ratio

→ Frequent droughts

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE ISLAND (1) Insularity → dependence on ground water and rainfalls

Recent changes in climate:

- increase of temperature: 0,5°C

- rainfalls reduction: 1mm by year / nowadays 500 mm annually

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

1915 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

m1

m1 - s1

m1 + s1

m2 + s2

m2 - s2

m2

Hydrological years

Reg

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ndar

dise

d an

nual

pre

cipi

tati

on

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE ISLAND (2)

Shortage of water

→ reduction of water resources of 40 %,

Droughts are more severe than predicted

IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE

Some key figures:

4,5% of the GDP

10% of the working population

30% of the amount of exportations

The Cypriot agriculture facing water

management problems

PROBLEMS

How does Cyprus try to reconcile agricultural development and shortage of water, just before its

entry in the EU ?

Sustainable development:

Development that allows to all populations which live on earth to satisfy its needs without jeopardizing possibilities of futures generations. (World commission for environment and development, 1987).

I. AGRICULTURE AND WATER1. Agricultural activities2. Water resource mobilization3. Water distribution4. Limits of the system

II. SOCIOECONOMICS ASPECTS1. Public awareness2. Limits of the actual policy3. Consequences

III. MEDITERRANEAN APPROACH AND EUROPEAN PROSPECTS1. Mediterranean programs2. European programs3. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC): a north-

European policy

AGRICULTURE AND WATER

MAIN CULTURES

Main productions (in tons)

0

20 000

40 000

60 000

80 000

100 000

120 000

140 000

160 000

AGRICULTURAL AREAS

FIRST MOBILIZATION OF WATER:

PUMPING THE AQUIFERS

CONSEQUENCES OF OVERPUMPING: SALINATION

DAMS BUILDING POLICY (1)

DAMS BUILDING POLICY (2)

Wide scale works:

106 works

total capacity : 325 000 000 MCM (6 200 000 MCM in the early 60s)

WATER DISTRIBUTION

Southern Conveyor Project (1984-2002)

IRRIGATION Agricultural Research Institute’s works (water needs of crops and irrigation methods)

Government subsidies

LIMITS OF THIS SYSTEM

Damages to ecosystems downstream of dams

Water losses in minor networks (30%)

Sociological consequences

Total dependence toward climate conditions→ water recycling and desalination

SOCIOECONOMICS ASPECTS

Agriculture is:

- A water consuming activity

- But an activity that enable people to earn their lives

→ How to conciliate these two objectives ?

AWARENESS,A MEAN TO CONCIALIATE ?

Increase awareness of government, actual and future citizens, farmers

1. Media

2. Organisms: the C.C.F, the A.R.I, the W.D.D …

3. Projects: Pitsilia Integrated Rural

Development Project

4. Measures: price of water

Means that are used:

1. Media

2. Organisms:

The C.C.F.: Cyprus Conservation Foundation

The A.R.I.: Agricultural Research Institute

The W.D.D.: Water Development

Department

3. Projects: Pitsilia Integrated Rural Development Project

4. Measures: price of water

When economy is more important than ecology:

Contradictions at the A.R.I.: water consuming species, counter season cultures

Tourism: services = 75% of GDP

However, this increasing of awareness has limits…

A slackening of vigilance: dams are full. Last three years rainfalls were good

A system to improve:

A lack of communication: inside and between institutions (A.R.I., W.D.D.) and with farmers

A lack of organization: no independent ministry of environment

Some mistakes: water recycled problem and farmers reluctance

CONSEQUENCES

A less effective increasing of awareness

A break in the evolution of farmers minds

Hard-to-apply measures:

Ex: price of water: a less important waste or a more important pumping of aquifers ?

MEDITERRANEAN APPROACH

AND

EUROPEAN PROSPECTS

MEDCODESAL (1997-2000):

Mediterranean cooperation for water desalination policies in the perspective of a sustainable development

WASAMED (2003-2005):

Water saving in Mediterranean agriculture

MEDITERRANEAN PROGRAMS

IRRISPLIT (2000-2003):

Partial Root Drying: A sustainable irrigation system for efficient water use without reducing yield

HORTIMED (2000-2003):

Sustainable Water Use in Protected Mediterranean Horticulture

EUROPEAN PROGRAMS

WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (2000/60/EC)

This directive recommends to :

Create a management system

Make all players implied in water management participate Reduce and control pollution

Apply water price policy

WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE:A NORTH-EUROPEAN POLICY

Cyprus: an island scaled management

A management of quantity for 40 years…

…but…

A real chance to evolve on a long term

A recent will to manage water quality

Hydrographic network

CONCLUSION

Agriculture: an important activity

A Mediterranean agriculture

An important work to mobilize water resource

Aware populations despite communications problems

EU entry: a step forward but a lot of work to do

a special conception of agricultural sustainable development

Site Internet de l’association : http://agr.eau.free.fr