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"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.