REDUCINGREDUCINGWATER FOWATER FOOF AGRICOF AGRICCHARBEL RIZKLWPLWPIBEF 2016

G THEG THE OOTPRINTOOTPRINT ULTUREULTURE

AGRICULTURE AN

USES 60‐70% OF THE NAUSES 60‐70% OF THE NA

POLLUTES WATER BODIES THUS

Reducing the water footprint of agriculture (use aand industrial availability and will also increase th

ND WATER

ATIONAL WATER BUDGETATIONAL WATER BUDGET

S REDUCES WATER AVAILABILITY 

and pollution) will positively impact domestic he irrigable lands.

REDUCING THE WFOOTPRINT OF A

• Using efficient irrigation systems.

• Growing crops through alternative agricultu• Growing crops through alternative agricultupollution and/or yield more crop per drop.

• Irrigating with non-conventional water: harv

• Treating agriculture waste: wastewater treat

• All or different combinations of above

WATER AGRICULTURE

ure systems that reduce water consumption and ure systems that reduce water consumption and

vested water, treated graywater and wastewater.

ment with reuse and/or biogas production

USING EFFUSING EFFIRRIGATIOIRRIGATIOSYSTEMSSYSTEMS

FICIENTFICIENT ONON

SUCCESS FACTOREFFICIENT IRRIGATEFFICIENT IRRIGAT(AGRICULTURE AND

• Determining plant/crop water requirements

• Selection of best suited most efficient irrigatio• Selection of best suited, most efficient irrigatio

• Properly sizing the system components

• Scheduling irrigationScheduling irrigation

• Using automated control and monitoring equip

• Proper system installation and leakage preventp y g p

• Metering water consumption

S ENSURING TIONTION D LANDSCAPE)

n emitter (drip 95% AE)n emitter (drip 95% AE)

pment

ion

APPLICATION EFFEMITTERS

FICIENCY OF

THROUGHALTERNATALTERNATAGRICULTAGRICULTSYSTEMSSYSTEMS

H TIVETIVE TURETURE

SOILLESS AGRIC(HYDROPONICS/A

• Water saving up to 10 times compared to conv

• Crops/plants grown in nutrient solution film or• Crops/plants grown in nutrient solution film or

• Growth under plastic or glass cover

• Drainage water recycled Drainage water recycled

• Highly controlled environment (temp, humidity

CULTURE AQUAPONICS)

ventional agriculture (one study)

r inert substrate (growbags) and no soil r inert substrate (growbags) and no soil

y, CO2, light)

SOILLESS AGRIC(HYDROPONICS/A

• Reduced use of pesticides in sealed greenhouse

• High yield quantity and quality per surface area• High yield quantity and quality per surface area

• Can be installed on degraded lands and on con

• In some cases high energy consumption (can bIn some cases, high energy consumption (can b

CULTURE AQUAPONICS)

es

a (reduced land use)a (reduced land use)

ncrete surfaces

be offset with RE)be offset with RE)

SOILLESS AGRICCULTURE

SYSTEM COMPO

• Automated sealed greenhouse or glasshouse

• Automatic fertigation (fertilization and irrigatio• Automatic fertigation (fertilization and irrigatio

• Drainage solution recycling system (UV disinfe

• Automatic environment control system with wAutomatic environment control system with w

• Fertigation network and accessories (valves, ga

• Crop growing system: liquid or substrate basedp g g y q

NENTS

on) control systemon) control system

ction)

weather station weather station

ages, emitters,…)

d

SYSTEM COMPO

• Mist system

• Heaters and heating system • Heaters and heating system

• Air circulation fans

• Plant growing accessories Plant growing accessories

• Greenhouse operations equipment (trollies)

NENTS

SUCCESS FACTOSOILLESS AGRIC

• Proper greenhouse selection and design

• Crop planting program Crop planting program

• Irrigation system design as above taking into cogrowth

F d d h d• Fertigation program and system design with dr

• Water quality testing

• Environment control design (heating lighting CEnvironment control design (heating, lighting, C

• Energy load requirements and energy source

ORS FOR CULTURE

onsideration requirements for soilless covered

l rainage recycling

CO2)CO2)

IRRIGATINNON-NONCONVENTCONVENTWATERWATER.

NG WITH

TIONALTIONAL

IRRIGATING WITHCONVENTIONAL Reduces reliance on renewable or fossil surface needs)

2 main options 

◦ Harvested water 

◦ Treated graywater and wastewater 

H NON-WATER.and ground water (reduces pumping energy 

HARVESTED WATFrom watersheds with storage in hill lakes(deterainfall intensity and rainfall)

From greenhouse tops with storage into cisternmultiplied annual rainfall depth taking away loss

From roof tops on farm structures with storagesurface multiplied by the annual rainfall depth tsurface multiplied by the annual rainfall depth t

The storage capacity is a factor of supply and us

TERermine yearly yield a factor of area of watershed, 

ns  (the yield is approx. the area between gutters ses) 

e into cisterns (the yield is approximately the roofaking away losses)aking away losses)

sage difference over a time period

TREATED GRAYWWASTEWATERReusing treated wastewater for irrigating crops tapply)

Fertilizers are available in the treated wastewate

Adds around 3‐5 % to the water budget 

Quality standards apply as per Lebanese regula

WATER AND

that are not eaten raw (Lebanese standards 

er N and P

ations and norms

SUCCESS FACTOIRRIGATING WITHGRAYWATER OR Test the influent water quality from the wastewaquality standards 

Select appropriate treatment system 

Possibility to mix treated wastewater with fresh

Apply Lebanese laws, regulations and standards

ORS FOR H TREATED WASTEWATER ater treatment plant and treat to reach required 

water 

s 

TREATINGTREATINGAGRICULTAGRICULTWASTEWASTE

GGTURETURE

OPTIONS Reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides throsoil tests 

Treating waste from animal production and dairyfrom production structure)from production structure)

ough proper dosing using fertigation systems and 

y industry  (manure, milk whey, water streams 

TREATMENT OPT

Conventional wastewater treatment with waterConventional wastewater treatment with water 

Production of biogas from mixing whey and mang g y

TIONS

reuse and resource recovery optionsreuse and resource recovery options 

nure