The Regional Workshop on Enhancing Water Use Efficiency in Small Scale Irrigation -The Application of FAO’s MASSCOTE Approach was held  in Sanliurfa, Turkey from 8 to 15 June 2015 in collaboration with the South-Eastern Anatolia Project (GAP) administration. The workshop was one of the activities of the GCP/231/SWI “Strengthening Agricultural Water Efficiency and Productivity on the African and global level” funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and directly contributes to the achievement of output 2 of the project: Enhanced capacity for increased water use efficiency in small-scale irrigation in Burkina Faso, Morocco and Uganda.

17 participants from the three countries representing national counterparts and forming a core team to implement in-country activities under output 2 of the project attended the workshop. In addition, 11 participants from the host country (Turkey) attended the workshop, strengthening the South-South collaboration element of the project.

The workshop - throughout its eight days - was divided into theoretical and practical sessions, as well as field visits. The theoretical and practical sessions were designed around the ten steps of MASSCOTE approach (from The Rapid Appraisal Procedure to Management, Demand for Operation, Improvements and Integration). Sessions on Water Efficiency Assessment as well as Performance and Productivity at Small Scale Irrigation were also given. iMoMo Approach (a project funded by the SDC on using integrated low-cost, high-tech and user centered methodology in order to measure and account for water at local levels in irrigation) was presented by its Officer from Hydro solutions. Two-day field visits to Harran scheme in Harran Plain were planned allowing the participants to make the assessment themselves and to apply knowledge they learned in classrooms. The field visits also included one to Ataturk Dam as demonstration of the Turkish experience in irrigation.

The main objective of the workshop is to build capacities of water professionals from Burkina Faso, Morocco and Uganda (as well as the host country as a step towards south- south cooperation) on increasing water use efficiency of irrigation systems by stimulating critical senses of agricultural water management in diagnosing and evaluating obstacles, constraints and opportunities, and in developing consistent modernization plans/ strategies.