Irrigation in the Mediterranean (eBook)

Mediterranean irrigation is diverse due to, among other factors, the relative importance of water in the economy of each country, varied levels of aridity, heterogeneous levels economic, social and technological levels of development, and differences in political and social organization. However, most of the Mediterranean countries face similar problems to meet their water demands because of the scarcity and variability of renewable resources, growing water requirements from non-agricultural sectors, increasing environmental concerns related to water quality and environmental degradation, a social demand for larger public participation, and important technological changes. The time has come to reconsider the 'not one drop lost to the sea' philosophy of yesteryears largely and to 'live within limits'.

François Molle is a senior researcher with 33 years of experience in the field of water institutions. He has worked extensively in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Iran, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Mali, Thailand and Vietnam, on irrigation system and river basin management, water resources planning and management, groundwater governance, and institutional/policy analysis. A researcher at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, France, he has been seconded during ten years to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Sri Lanka and later Egypt. François Molle is also involved in teaching (in various universities), capacity building and PhD supervision. He is currently based in Montpellier, France. His authored 250 publications, including 100 book chapters or articles in peer-reviewed journals, and edited several volumes such as 'Irrigation water pricing: the gap between theory and practice', 'River basins: trajectories, societies, environments', 'Contested waterscapes in the Mekong region: Hydropower, livelihoods and governance'. He serves as an editorial board member in several scientific journals and is co-editor of the Water Alternatives journal.