1. Introduction
2. Summary of Recommendations
3. Acknowledgements
The FAO/UNDP Seminar on Reclamation and Management of Sandy Soils in the Near East and North Africa was held in Nicosia, Cyprus from 3 to 8 December 1973, by courtesy of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.
This Seminar was the fourth in a series held in the Near East region as part of the FAO/UNDP Regional Project MID/25 “Applied Research on Land and Water Development in the Near East”, in compliance with recommendation No. 2 made by the Regional Commission on Land and Water Use in the Near East at its second session in 1969. Its purpose was to bring together senior government officials and high level experts to review and discuss scientific and technical activities in the reclamation and management of sandy soils.
The Seminar was attended by 42 government participants from 17 countries of the Near East and North Africa, by 19 observers and special participants, 8 FAO/UNDP project staff and 5 technical officers from FAO.
The subjects presented for discussion were along the following lines:
- classification, distribution and agricultural potentialities;It provided a good opportunity for the presentation and discussion of 9 technical papers, 3 supplementary papers and 17 country reports dealing mainly with sandy soils. The excursion gave the participants the chance to see and observe the profile characteristics of sandy soils, stabilized sand dunes and the experimental activities of the Agricultural Research Institute in fertility and water management studies. From the proceedings of the Seminar it became clear that although sandy soils are frequently described as droughty, erodible, infertile and uneconomical to develop, they can be as productive as any other type of soil provided that the right soil and water management practices are followed. There is a need in the Region under irrigated as well as rainfed conditions to expedite research on reclamation and management of sandy soils with special consideration to water utilization and fertilization and to strengthen the technical training and the extension services.
- fertility and fertilization;
- soil management and conservation;
- water management;
- applied research.
The Seminar adopted several recommendations which could be summarized under the following points:
i. The Seminar recognized the extensive occurrence of sandy soils in the Near East and North Africa and recommended the compilation and dissemination of the available information on their effective use under the auspices of FAO.ii. From the discussions it was felt that sandy loam soils could behave similarly to sandy soils and it was recommended that they be considered for practical purposes as sandy soils. In the classification of sandy soils their mineralogical composition and the characteristics of hard pans should be considered. Furthermore, sound, land and water utilization should be based on land and water resources evaluation surveys of suitable scale.
iii. The Seminar realized that certain questions on methods of characterization and practices for utilization of problematic soils in the region remain to be solved and requested that panels of experts be held under the auspices of FAO to discuss these problems and set guidelines and establish priorities.
iv. Training and extension services in soil and water management and agronomic practices are critical issues in most of the region and the Seminar recommended intensifying these aspects among extension workers as well as farmers.
v. The Seminar, being aware of the potential pollution hazards from heavy fertilization of sandy soils, use of sewage water and intensive grazing on these soils, recommended that factors involved, and practices to avoid pollution, be studied.
vi. The Seminar recognized the progress achieved in the techniques of sandy soils improvement and utilization and the limited experience in the region, and recommended the carrying out of basic and applied research on:
a) Soil and water conservation and management:vii. The Seminar realized that under rainfed agriculture, special soil and water conservation measures should be followed and therefore recommended carrying out experiments on breeding plant varieties most adapted to sandy soils and especially drought resistant ones, on fertilization practices and on moisture conservation and agronomic practices.i) sand dune stabilization (materials, economics)b) Fertility and fertilization:
ii) erosion control (methods including minimum tillage)
iii) mulching (methods and techniques)
iv) placement of barriers in the soil (materials, techniques and economics)i) movement and transfer of nutrientsc) Irrigation and drainage:
ii) forms and techniques of fertilizer application
iii) interaction between fertilization and irrigation
iv) soil fertility evaluationi) water quality (use of saline, sewage and desalinized waters and their critical limits)
ii) irrigation efficiency (application and conveyance)
iii) integrated experimentation (soil, water, plants and environment
iv) drainage testing (materials and methods of installation)
v) lining of canals (use of local, low cost available materials and their economics)
vi) control of algae and microflora in irrigation and drainage systems (use of chemicals)viii. The Seminar, recognizing the vital importance of the Regional Applied Research Programme for Land and Water Use on Sandy Soils for the promotion of improved land and water use on sandy soils in the countries of the region and noting that a decision has not been taken so far in support of this regional programme by the UNDP, the Seminar urges that immediate action be taken by the UNDP in expediting the early implementation of the regional programme’s objectives.
It is further requested that coordination should be made between this programme and other Regional Centres dealing with applied soil and water research.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations wishes to express its gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus for hosting the Seminar, to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for their excellent organization of working and social events and to the Ministry of Labour for placing at the disposal of the Seminar the facilities of the recently established Hotel and Catering Institute with its new and up-to-date equipment.
FAO would particularly like to mention the warm and cordial atmosphere which pervaded the Seminar and to thank the countries of the Near East and North Africa who participated in the Seminar and the special participants who contributed technical material to the proceedings.
It would also like to thank the United Nations Development Programme for its material support which made possible the holding of the Seminar.
Special thanks are extended to the Mr. R. C. Michaelides, Director General, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Cyprus, for his active support and interest from, the very instigation of the Seminar and to his colleagues in Cyprus who gave such a warm welcome to all the participants, and to Dr. V. D. Krentos of the Agricultural Research Institute in Nicosia who so ably carried out the duties of Director and Chairman of the Seminar, also to Monsieur Hacène Kharchi of Algeria who acted as Vice-Chairman.
