Started in 2014, the 2017 Global Forum in Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) will be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. GFIA is a place for governments, NGOs, researchers, and food producers to showcase agricultural innovations in productive and sustainable farming. It caters to both large and small scale farmers, and is not only a forum for discussion, but a marketplace for suppliers and cooperatives.
WLE and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) will host a panel discussion for the event on water scarcity and unequal distribution of water resources in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The session, titled Solar irrigation in the MENA region, we be held on 21 March, from 13.30 - 14.00 in the conference theatre.
The use of renewable energy in agriculture, and in particular solar technology for irrigation pumps, has captured the attention of practitioners, farmers, and donors. However, the adoption of this technology in MENA has been relatively piecemeal, with limited exchange and transfer of knowledge between government agencies and practitioners. In addition, issues concerning unequal access to solar irrigation technology and the sustainability of groundwater resources need to be addressed. The panel discussion will work to answer some of the questions of how best to scale up solar power irrigation in an equitable and sustainable way.
The panel will be moderated by Alvar Closas of IWMI and will include:
- Mohamed Fayez, co-founder and technology and innovation engineer of KarmSolar, Cairo, Egypt
- Rana El-Guindy, senior specialist and energy economist of the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Lisa Bossenbroek, lecturer in gender and natural resources at L'Ecole de Gouvernance et d'Economie in Rabat, Morocco
For more information, please contact Alvar Closas: a.closas [at] cgiar.org
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