Socio Economic and Environmental Impact of Salinity on Livelihoods, 14–18 December 2014

Abstract

Water is the major limiting factor for agricultural production in the dry areas of Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA). Agriculture accounts for around 80% of water consumption in the region, however, the rapidly growing population, industrialization, and urbanization will lead to reallocation of water increasingly away from agriculture to other sectors. On the other hand, high population growth rates require a continuous increase in agricultural production. ICARDA's mission is to improve the welfare of people through agricultural research and training to increase the production, productivity, and quality of food, while preserving or improving the resource base. ICARDA's training courses are designed to improve the capabilities of scientists and technicians in national agricultural research systems (NARS) in developing countries to conduct research independently, and to foster transfer of technology and address issues related to farmers' decisions in adopting or rejecting new technologies. The training course offered to WANA country researchers an opportunity to get to effectively understand the socio economic and environmental impacts of salinity on livelihoods, and to identify policy constraints and opportunities for the effective use and remediation of saline land and water resources in their respective countries.