Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, the Ministry of Environment and Water in collaboration with the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, organized a scientific conference about the use of treated wastewater in the Arab world: the current reality and future prospects, at Al Meydan Hotel Nad Al Sheba in Dubai from the 14th to the 16th, January, 2014. The conference was attended by a number of ministers from the Arabic and Gulf States, the President of the Islamic Development Bank and participants from governmental authorities and departments involved in the production of purified water, in addition to the state municipalities and the Arab states, with experts from international organizations, including the World Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The announcement of the event was made by H.E. Engineer Saif Al-Shara, Assistant Undersecretary of Agricultural Affairs & Animal Sector, Ministry of Environment & Water, UAE, during a press conference held at the headquarters of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai. Al-Shara said that the Ministry of Environment and Water, seeks to reduce the use of underground water resources in the agricultural sector and ease the drain of this non-renewable water resource, the use of unconventional water resources, as the treated wastewater that is one of the important and necessary options in order to relieve the pressure on freshwater resources. The steady increase of the population as well as the economic and development activities constitute a rise in the freshwater resources demand, but at the same time provide a growing resource of wastewater that can be exploited in the development and other fields. About 580 million cubic meters of treated wastewater is produced annually, an amount of a strategic importance it is necessary to be used in the agricultural sector orderly within global standards to ensure the safety of production, which will be discussed during the three-day conference.
Al-Shara said the conference intended to review the summary of the researches and experiences of the countries regarding the treated water in the agricultural production in the Arab countries, especially considering the crop production and optimum field management, in addition to study the use of treated water effect on the quality of the vegetable and livestock products, also to evaluate the irrigation water and soil management practices, and review the environmental impacts on the farm and the groundwater. The conference aimed also at reviewing the guidelines, regulations, policies and strategies for the use of treated water in the Arab countries, in addition to the economic and social assessment of the profitable use of treated wastewater in the agricultural production.
Meanwhile, Her Excellency Dr. Asmahan Al Wafi, Director General of the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, stated that the conference attendees were made up of Arab officials and decision-makers, ministers, undersecretary of ministers, directors of agricultural research centers, the private sector and experts from the UAE, the Sultanate of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco as well as international experts from the center Arab Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands of the Arab League as well as the World Health Organization and the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank and the International water Management Institute.
Al Wafi added that the first day of the conference included a policy forum on wastewater treatment in the 21st century. Arab ministers along with representatives of the Islamic Development Bank, the World Health Organization, World Bank and from the Saudi company Miyahuna from the private sector participated in this forum. This was followed by a plenary session for resources and technologies of water treatment regionally and internationally. The second and third day were divided into four intensive scientific sessions dealing with the resources, utilizations, and socio-economic aspects of wastewater treatment and its impacts on the environment. The closing day featured a workshop about three chapters that include the future directions, partnerships and policies.
Moreover, Dr. Al Wafi said that the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture started focusing on the use of non-traditional marginal water resources in the agricultural production since its foundation in 1999. She remains well focused on the successive strategic plans of the center and especially the new strategy for 2013 to 2023, which aims to take advantage of every drop of water and promote agriculture across marginal environments. The move falls in line with the efforts towards contributing to finding alternative solutions to achieve food security while contributing at the same time in maintaining the freshwater resources and achieving water security.