Yemen: Irrigation Specialist

Feb 17, 2015 | Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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Under the general supervision of the FAO Representative in Yemen and the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Adviser of the project, and in close consultation with Technical Officers from the Land and Water Division (NRL) and the Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE), the incumbent will be responsible for ensuring high quality of outputs of all matters related to water management and to water used for agricultural production in the four sub-basins of the Sana’a Basin.

In particular, the incumbent will:

• Assess the present production systems in the four sub-basins with particular attention to the water used per unit of product, irrigation systems applied, overall water use efficiency, and the preparedness of farmers to reduce their water use and to increase its efficiency, assess the availability of material and/or equipment in Yemen which is needed to reduce water use and/or to increase water use efficiency.
• Advise and assist the national IWRM consultant and the Irrigation Department on the water-related infrastructure for each sub-basin which will ensure sustainable and climate change resilient water resources management. The newest technologies on water harvesting and groundwater recharge will have to be introduced, whenever applicable. Water conveyance (wadi) and storage should be optimized and effective.
• Advise AREA and NIP and thus the FAs on the most appropriate technologies for increasing irrigation efficiency and assist in setting-up demonstration pilots if so required. The present irrigation technologies advised are drip and bubbler irrigation and conveyance pipes. It is important that the investment into irrigation system has a high financial internal rate of return as to stimulate farmers to invest in such technologies.
• Advise AREA, NIP and the FAs on the latest development of crop production systems using minimal quantities of water. Assist the FA in setting up demonstration pilots to introduce these minimal water using production systems.
• Advise the wastewater treatment expert of the Sana’a Basin Project on the most suitable use (irrigation system) of treated wastewater.
• Perform other related duties as required.