Introducing Dr Asad Qureshi, a senior Scientist in irrigation and water management at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture. This visionary expert has dedicated his career to the critical realm of water resources and environmental management, and today, he shares groundbreaking insights on water management in the agricultural sector.
The discussion kicks off with a focus on water security in the Gulf, where renewable water resources are scarce. Driven by the quest for food security, Dr Qureshi’s project seeks to unleash the untapped potential of wastewater for agricultural purposes.
With a staggering 11 billion cubic meters of wastewater produced annually in the Gulf states, Dr Qureshi delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by this resource. He sheds light on the expense of desalinating drinking water, only to use it once before disposal. The concept of utilizing wastewater for crop production emerges as a game-changer.
The episode also unveils the urgency of transforming agricultural water usage in the UAE. Groundwater depletion and declining quality pose pressing challenges for farmers. Dr Qureshi and his team's innovative research offers a glimmer of hope, yet obstacles in government acceptance persist.
Not to be missed, this episode is brimming with revolutionary ideas and a vision for a greener, more resilient agricultural landscape. Join us as we explore the untapped potential of wastewater and the path to transforming water management in the agricultural sector. Find the full episode on ‘Water Use in Agriculture’ here.
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Nicholas Brozovic -
Zac Gazit -
Asad Sarwar Qureshi -
Adriano Battilani
- Gulf states produce over 11 billion cubic meters of wastewater annually, with only a portion of it being reused for crop production.
- Treating wastewater to sufficient quality for agricultural use is expensive, especially in terms of removing heavy metals and ensuring microbial safety.
- The International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) has recommended using treated wastewater for agricultural production, which can improve food security, reduce fertilizer usage, and offer higher economic returns compared to fresh water.
In this series
He has over twenty years of experience working on water management issues worldwide. Nicholas strives to influence the way managers, decision makers and funders view and implement policies to sustain water use in agriculture. He and his team partner with many kinds of stakeholders to understand, test and validate new technologies and business models. He has mentored a growing community of students and young professionals dedicated to improving water and food security globally.
Zac Gazit is constantly looking for ways to combine his passion for technology and innovation with his desire to make our world a better place. His experience in developing and growing high technology companies and his work with internationally renowned companies led him to start ALVÁTECH, an award winning AgTech company that is rapidly growing worldwide. Zac is a keen advocate of green change and is working with governments and organizations to make a global impact and form a green legacy.
Before joining the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in 2014, he worked at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in different scientific and management capacities in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Central Asia, and Bangladesh. He has about 30 years of experience in action research aimed at finding agronomic and engineering solutions geared towards mitigating the incipient water logging and salinity problems of irrigated areas and developing conservation strategies for the water-scarce regions of the Middle East, South Asia, Africa and Central Asia.
A member of the Director’s staff and appointed representative by EU Institutions and international organizations of the Italian National Association of Land protection and Irrigation Consortia (ANBI), and a member of the Board of Directors of the Euro-Mediterrannean Irrigators Community (EIC). He has more than 40 years of experience as researcher and project manager in the fields of irrigation, fertigation and cropping system’s sustainability. Since 1990, he has been involved as principal scientist in EU research projects and as scientific responsible for projects financed by public bodies and private institutions, industries and stakeholders.
