WASHINGTON, May 28, 2009: A new book, published by the World Bank shares knowledge on managing water resources in one of the driest regions on earth.
“Water in the Arab World: Management Perspectives and Innovations” deals with water-related topics as diverse as the expected impact of climate change on the Middle East and North Africa, to irrigation and desalination technology and the art of water diplomacy.
The idea is to “document the existing ‘embedded knowledge’ that has been generated by World Bank-financed projects in the Middle East in support of managing a scarce and crucial resource in the region, says N. Vijay Jagannathan, manager of the World Bank’s water sector team for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
– We take for granted that when you turn on the tap, you get water, he says. – Similarly, farmers in the region plan cropping patterns based on irrigation water available, and when it’s not there, it can affect crops.
The book, co-financed by the World Bank and the Dutch government through the Bank-Netherlands Water Partnership Program, is part of a larger World Bank effort to capture knowledge gained through experience in developing countries. “Water in the Arab World” offers a comprehensive set of ideas, analysis, and reflections on managing the Middle East’s water resources more efficiently and sustainably.
In recent years, policy makers in the region have increasingly embraced the idea of “holistic” water management at both the resource and service levels. The book presents countries’ experiences around five elements of water management: supply, distribution, governance, responsibilities and engineering.
Læs hele artiklen: www.worldbank.org
Læs bogen: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMENA/Resources/Water_Arab_World_full.pdf
