Innovative technologies and integrated solutions to improve water and soil use efficiency under arid conditions

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture has coordinated three projects since 2014. They are:

1. Improving water and nutrient use efficiency for crop production in dry lands via soil amendments and remote sensing techniques;
2. Development of novel real-time irrigation management tool based on canopy spectral reflectance; and
3. Improving economics of using saline water in arid and semi-arid areas through integrated aqua-agriculture systems (IAAS).

The first and third projects were implemented in collaboration with Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain and the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka respectively. The projects were funded by Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) and coordinated by Further Advancing the Blue Revolution Initiative (FABRI). Resources for these grants were donated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The major outcomes of the three projects will be presented at the workshop, followed by a discussion forum in which various stakeholders from public and private sectors, policymakers and end-users will be actively involved.