Across the world, agriculture claims the vast majority of accessible water resources - as a global average, the amount is around 70 per cent. In the Middle East and North Africa, where freshwater availability is among the lowest in the world, some 155 billion cubic metres of water are used each year to irrigate a total area of 11 million hectares - 89 per cent of the region's total water use. The statistics are all the more galling given that agriculture only contributes to between 5-20 per cent of gross domestic product.

The need to prevent vast quantities of precious water draining unprofitably away in the agricultural sector is a priority, particularly in the non-oil countries of North Africa and the Levant, where governments do not have the finance to perpetually subsidise inefficient farming practices at the expense of growing urban water requirements. But the subject is a delicate matter for the region's authorities. Agriculture has a traditional and cultural significance in the Middle East, and as any government whether from the world's most developed or poorest country knows, reining in farmers can be a politically sensitive, even suicidal, activity.

The passions surrounding the debate mean that few regional governments are likely to follow the lead of Israel in introducing realistic tariffs reflecting the true price of agricultural water use, even though Tel Aviv's pricing structure led to an almost immediate drop in water consumption for irrigation without having a detrimental impact of agricultural productivity. However, with an efficiency gain of only 10 per cent required in irrigation practices to double the availability of water for urban consumers, regional authorities are making tentative steps towards introducing measures to reduce agricultural water use.

At the heart of the battle to improve 'crop per drop' rates is the issue of water-intensive farming practices. Over the past decades, the region's zeal for food security has led to the cultivation of crops that are patently unsuitable for such an arid climate. Now, however, some countries are reviewing their strategy and increasing imports of cereals such as wheat, which requires 1,000 tonnes of water for the production of just one tonne of grain. Egypt, for example, buys in 60 per cent of its wheat requirement, freeing up billions of litres of water for use in higher-yielding crops or in more productive sectors of the economy.

Elsewhere, Jordan is pressing ahead with the introduction of modern watering methods, such as drip and low-pressure spray irrigation and wind-trap tunnels for moisture control. These minimise evaporation and run-off waste, so that as much as 95 per cent of the applied water reaches the plant, as opposed to only 20 per cent with traditional irrigation techniques. Similar practices will be employed by farmers involved in the massive Toshka project in Egypt, where laws have been passed to ensure that only modern irrigation systems can be employed on the newly-reclaimed agricultural land (see below).

However, it is in Morocco, where agriculture employs at least 40 per cent of the population, that the most radical reforms are being considered. The kingdom is planning the first ever public-private partnership in irrigation, assisted by the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank. The two schemes, yet to be implemented, are estimated to require $330 million in financing and will be carried out in farming areas in the north and south of the kingdom.

Under the terms of the proposed Guerdane project, the private operator will construct a conveyance system and irrigation network, and have responsibility under a concession for the commercial operations and maintenance of the project. The $250 million investment project drawn up for the southern Gharb project includes both transmission and distribution networks and a drainage system. The selected company may also be invited to assume operation of existing networks in the region.

As the harsh realities of the potential water crisis begin to hit home, the region is finally getting to grips with the future. Though much damage has already been wrought by the profligate use of precious water, governments are now working to sustain those resources that remain. Authorities know that overcoming political constraints, reorienting water strategies towards conservation and prioritising key economic areas will be a slow and painful process. However, they also know it is a course of action that can no longer be ignored.

CR