(Communicated by COGAT)

"We in the civil administration see great importance in promoting the use of recycled water in the Palestinian Authority. We are trying to promote its use as much as we can," said Samir Muadi, agriculture staff officer in the Civil Administration, following a workshop held on the use of recycled water for agriculture in the Palestinian Authority.

The workshop, which was held from October 28-30, was arranged by the agriculture staff officer in the Civil Administration, Samir Muadi, in cooperation with the Agriculture Extension Service in the Ministry of Agriculture. The workshop was financed by USAID. The goal of the workshop was to train a number of leading Palestinian agronomists and farmers to use recycled water, initially from the sewage treatment plant in Dir Sharf in Nabulus which will be used to irrigate 200 dunams of plantations, and eventually from the water treatment plant in Jenin.

Thirty-five Palestinian farmers attended the workshop. On the first day, they were taken on a tour to water treatment plants and to Israeli fields that are irrigated by recycled water in Iksal and the Hefer Valley. During the following days, the farmers and agronomists attended a series of lectures, learned about different methods of water treatment and the regulations and recommended methods for using recycled water.

"As a part of the workshop the participants went on three tours, two of them in fields belonging to Israeli Arabs, where they observed the treatment process and the use of recycled water for a variety of crops," said Samir Muadi.

John Silberman, the Ministry of Agriculture representative who gave a number of lectures during the workshop explained, "We are trying to demonstrate and teach the proper uses for recycled water, as can be observed in Israel, so that the Palestinians will be able to adopt these methods as well. By employing these methods, the Palestinian farmers and landowners will expand the agricultural areas, limit the waste of water, and also save money."

The Civil Administration, in collaboration with the Agriculture Extension Service and USAID, is trying to prepare a plan for promoting the use of recycled water. The importance of this issue is well-known and clear to all the parties, given the water shortage in our area.