IWMI Wastewater Reuse MENA_ Annual Technical Report_ Jan-Dec 2019

Abstract

The current report covers the activities implemented in accordance with agreed implementation plan of the project and include site selection and characterization, meeting with farmers as part of the stakeholder analysis, participation in the learning alliance, national baseline data collection, and gender mainstreaming in project activities. Details on the progress made under each activity are presented under the respective sections.

The project was, however, faced with several unforeseen challenges associated with delays in the start of the project (signing of the agreement and disbursement of funds) and new government regulations created unexpected difficulties to collect all the data needed by partnering institutions including Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region (CEDARE) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The new regulation restricted access to most recent data without having required security clearance to do so. Rejection of the request for security clearance submitted by the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) to work on the project and provide data was indeed an unexpected setback to the project. ICARDA worked through the challenges and though delayed, it was able to complete the national baseline by heavily relying on published documents and collecting required data on selected sites using alternative data sources. ICARDA was also able to complete the site characterizations for two of the selected sites – one representing indirect use of treated/partially treated wastewater for agriculture – located in Kafr El Shiekh in the Nile Delta; and the other representing a case of successful direct use of treated/partially treated wastewater to grow non-edible crops – located in Luxor.

Data required to conduct a stakeholder analysis for the Kafer El Shiekh site was also collected with great care due to sensitivity of the topic. There was thus great delay in completing the data collection and hence the associated analytical report. Despite all the challenges, ICARDA was able to complete set tasks for the year as presented in the report below