3 Water Resource Availability and Quality …
49
Research and technology development in the water sector is considered key to the
sustainable development of the region. Even though there is considerable variation
in reporting of water research from country to country, the northern part of Africa
is generally considered to be in a better position than countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa to invest in research, technology, and innovation. These include infrastructure,
budgeting, and training. Surveys of water management research in the region indicate
the status of individual countries as follows:
• Egypt. Because renewable water resources are supplied mainly by the Nile River,
and that source is almost fully exploited with the quality of available resources
progressively degrading, Egyptian research institutes have focused their interest
on research programs on integrated water management of river basins from
upstream to the coast for the sustainability of water resources along the river.
This includes drainage management and reuse of wastewater for irrigation and
water quality;
• Morocco has focused its research strategy mainly on the characterization and
conservation of water resources, economic water management, and geographical
information systems. However, momentum is growing for the need for conservation on the demand side, improving efficiency of water use, rather than the
increase of supply. Particular attention is concentrated on the integration of water
quality and quantity, as well as collaborative problem solving;
• In Tunisia, a particular effort has been directed to the development of research
on water resource assessment and use of available water, management of water
resources mostly for the agriculture sector and the development of hydroagricultural models and cropping systems to optimize water resources. Research
on development of marginal water use is also an important topic being investigated
by Tunisian research institutes;
• In Algeria, the main problems facing the water resource sector concern inadequate water management and poor waste management practices leading to water
pollution and desertification. The research strategy to which the Algerian government has committed takes into account these aspects, and encourages the establishment of numerous ambitious research programs, including on water supply
management, recovery and production of water, and distribution;
• In Libya, research and higher education generally suffer from a lack of appropriate planning mechanisms and procedures. This has led to increasing dependence on skilled foreign scientists in many fields, including water research and
management. Today, such planning is just starting to emerge, with very limited
water resource management and research, which is not sufficiently oriented to
resolving crucial problems facing the country. Nevertheless, there is focus on
some fundamental issues, including delivery of a sustainable supply of water to the
growing population, management of complex problems associated with sharing
the water supply with riparian countries and sustainable use and management of
groundwater and seawater intrusion problems, and
49
Research and technology development in the water sector is considered key to the
sustainable development of the region. Even though there is considerable variation
in reporting of water research from country to country, the northern part of Africa
is generally considered to be in a better position than countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa to invest in research, technology, and innovation. These include infrastructure,
budgeting, and training. Surveys of water management research in the region indicate
the status of individual countries as follows:
• Egypt. Because renewable water resources are supplied mainly by the Nile River,
and that source is almost fully exploited with the quality of available resources
progressively degrading, Egyptian research institutes have focused their interest
on research programs on integrated water management of river basins from
upstream to the coast for the sustainability of water resources along the river.
This includes drainage management and reuse of wastewater for irrigation and
water quality;
• Morocco has focused its research strategy mainly on the characterization and
conservation of water resources, economic water management, and geographical
information systems. However, momentum is growing for the need for conservation on the demand side, improving efficiency of water use, rather than the
increase of supply. Particular attention is concentrated on the integration of water
quality and quantity, as well as collaborative problem solving;
• In Tunisia, a particular effort has been directed to the development of research
on water resource assessment and use of available water, management of water
resources mostly for the agriculture sector and the development of hydroagricultural models and cropping systems to optimize water resources. Research
on development of marginal water use is also an important topic being investigated
by Tunisian research institutes;
• In Algeria, the main problems facing the water resource sector concern inadequate water management and poor waste management practices leading to water
pollution and desertification. The research strategy to which the Algerian government has committed takes into account these aspects, and encourages the establishment of numerous ambitious research programs, including on water supply
management, recovery and production of water, and distribution;
• In Libya, research and higher education generally suffer from a lack of appropriate planning mechanisms and procedures. This has led to increasing dependence on skilled foreign scientists in many fields, including water research and
management. Today, such planning is just starting to emerge, with very limited
water resource management and research, which is not sufficiently oriented to
resolving crucial problems facing the country. Nevertheless, there is focus on
some fundamental issues, including delivery of a sustainable supply of water to the
growing population, management of complex problems associated with sharing
the water supply with riparian countries and sustainable use and management of
groundwater and seawater intrusion problems, and