Best irrigation scheduling way with saline water and desalinated water: Field experiments

In arid countries like Tunisia, the need to find new sources of water for irrigation has become imminent. Desalination of seawater can be an alternative to irrigation. Water desalination is a process that makes it possible to obtain freshwater (drinking water or, more rarely, due to the cost, usable for irrigation) from brackish or saltwater (seawater in particular). In this article, we take a look at the leading food companies specializing in desalination of irrigation around the world and the prospects for the solar energy desalination potential for irrigation in Tunisia. We have noticed that several companies invest money to desalinate water for agricultural purposes. However, the cost of a cubic meter of water sometimes remains high to go forward with this new technology.

Pathways and Challenges for Efficient Desalination

Section: Major Challenges For the Construction Of Solar Desalination ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Desalination and Agriculture

Daghari¹

2022

Self Cite

“…Dyiar-Al-Hujjej's aquifer (EC) was 6.6 dS/m in 2017, wells depth is about 20 m measured in 2011, 2017 and 2020 and it's the main region when strawberry is grown (more than 95%). Only localized irrigation is encountered and irrigation uniformity is about 90% (Daghari et al 2020b).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…-water blending and over-irrigation with fresh water in the aim to drop soil salinity -introduction of new and more pro table crops such as strawberry following this supply of fresh water and the practice of associated crops on the same site (strawberry-pepper combination), (Daghari et al 2020b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Considering the heaviness of these experiments, only modeling was often used (Lahlou et al 2000;Kaur et al 2007;Arafat 2019) but eld studies are lacking. Some studies were carried out over short periods and only looked at salinity (Daghari et al 2020b), (Azza et al 2020. Total amounts of salt brought, farmer's net revenue and salinity evolution for a long period (many years) were not studied before.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Rethinking water and crop management in the irrigated district of Diyar-Al-Hujjej (Tunisia)

Abouaziza

2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

Self Cite

In Diyar-Al-Hujjej irrigated area, aquifer's over-exploitation, sea intrusion and abandonment of irrigated areas and wells were took place. A yield decrease for all crops was observed. Average aquifer water electrical conductivity (EC) jumps from 4 dS/m to 6.6 dS/m between 1969 and 2017. A fresh surface water transfer over more than 100 km was launched in 1998 to safeguard this irrigated area but this fresh water supply is not stable, it varies from one year to another (about 1,900,000 m 3 in 2015 and only 60,000 m 3 in 2018) while annual cops water requirements of the perimeter is about 2,500,000 m 3 . An adaptation by farmers to this new situation of saline and water stress was observed. The follow-up surveys of the farmer's practices showed that: (i) new crops with high added-value grown during the rainy season were introduced in association with dry season crops (strawberry-pepper association), (ii) rainfed crops, fallow and water blending are common practices, and (iii) growing of rainy season crops in the aim to reduce water supply. The instability of fresh surface water volume transferred constitutes the main threat for this perimeter. The use of aquifer salt water must be stopped; it is the cause of the large quantities of salts supplied (over 13,000 kg / ha) and also of the low annual net income achieved. Net revenue was less than 2,000 US $/ha under salt water and reached even 8,000 US $/ha when su cient surface water is available. An agrarian reform policy must be applied for this perimeter; only crops whose water requirements are partially met by rain should be grown. Introduction of another more sustainable water source should be initiated (as desalination) even at private farm level.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking water and crops management in the irrigated district of Diyar-Al-Hujjej (Tunisia)

Abouaziza

2021

Preprint

Self Cite

In Diyar-Al-Hujjej irrigated area, aquifer’s over-exploitation, sea intrusion and abandonment of irrigated areas and wells were took place. A yield decrease for all crops was observed. Average aquifer water electrical conductivity (EC) jumps from 4 dS/m to 6.6 dS/m between 1969 and 2017. A fresh surface water transfer over more than 100 km was launched in 1998 to safeguard this irrigated area but this fresh water supply is not stable, it varies from one year to another (about 1,900,000 m3 in 2015 and only 60,000 m3 in 2018) while annual cops water requirements of the perimeter is about 2,500,000 m3. An adaptation by farmers to this new situation of saline and water stress was observed. The follow-up surveys of the farmer’s practices showed that: (i) new crops with high added-value grown during the rainy season were introduced in association with dry season crops (strawberry-pepper association), (ii) rainfed crops, fallow and water blending are common practices, and (iii) growing of rainy season crops in the aim to reduce water supply. The instability of fresh surface water volume transferred constitutes the main threat for this perimeter. The use of aquifer salt water must be stopped; it is the cause of the large quantities of salts supplied (over 13,000 kg / ha) and also of the low annual net income achieved. Net revenue was less than 2,000 US $/ha under salt water and reached even 8,000 US $/ha when sufficient surface water is available. An agrarian reform policy must be applied for this perimeter; only crops whose water requirements are partially met by rain should be grown. Introduction of another more sustainable water source should be initiated (as desalination) even at private farm level.