Restoring Hima Ecosystem Functions through Combacting the Problems - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Restoring Hima Ecosystem Functions through Combacting the Problems of Water Resources Management in the Hima- IBAs of Lebanon

Presented by :Dalia Al-jawhary

Outline

Overview about SPNL –Hima Approach&Hima Anjar- Kfar Zabad Anjar WUA & Traditional Canal System SPNL’s Intervention for Improving the management of the system &Water Resources

 One of the Oldest Environmental NGOs in Lebanon, established in 1986  Bird Life Partner in Lebanon  Aims at protecting nature, birds and biodiversity in Lebanon  Promotes the sustainable management of natural resources through

supporting community based management approaches.

 Lead NGO on the Revival of the Hima ىمحلا Approach

 Hima, meaning ‘protected area’

in Arabic

 a

traditional system

• f

community-based natural and human resource management practiced in West Asia and North Africa for more than 1500 years, and directly links to food, energy and water security.

 Hima was about the sustainable

management of grazing grounds

What is Hima?

Hybrid Hima (SPNL Approach)

• Community-based

approach to sustainably managing natural and human resources that merges between modern science with the values

• f the traditional Hima embedded in our heritage.

Using scientific assessments for the identification

• f sites.

Adopting social tools for stakeholder analysis assessments. Adopting participatory approaches to ensure

• wnership by the community.

Stressing the values & culture embedded in the traditional Hima.

SPNL Hima’s Selection Criteria

Ownership Socio- economic& Cultural Value Nature& Biodiversity Value

Wetlands and Forests representing a Habitat for African Eurasian Water Birds & Globally Endangered Species Syrian Serin” Announced in 2007 in Anjar

Hima Anjar –Kfar Zabad IBA

Announced in 2004 in KZ

Importance of Anjar Kfar Zabad

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

ANJAR “A HOME FOR THE Armenian Disapora”

 Anjar also known as Haoush Mousa is a town

• f Lebanon located on the level plain of the Bekaa

valley.

 Constitutes of a population of 3,400 Armenian

dispora

 Total area of Anjar is 1800 Hectars (18 km2).  850 m from sea level

History of Displacement

 Was settled in September 1939 with several thousand

Armenian refugees from who came from Musa Dagh area of Turkey.

 Where 5125 persons representing 1205 families were

displaced to Anjar.

• Anjar represented a semi-desert, dusty plain on the eastern

mountain range of Lebanon at that time

Anjar Water Users Association

Anjar Water Users Association

 Between 1940 &1944, the current canal water

distribution system with its water association were established to manage & distribute irrigation water among farmers

• 7 dunum of irrigated land mainly irrigated by the ALWUA

canal system& include fruit trees (1,117 parcels )

• 4 dunum of arid land irrigated by distributor& self

through pressurized and surface irrigation schemes & constitute vegetables (767 parcels)

 Today, Anjar’s economy is reported to rely mainly on farming &

agriculture, where 70% of its population are farmers

 344 farmers practicing agricultural activities in the area

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

Anjar Spring

Anjar Canal Distribution System

• A network of gravity-open canal system



Upon its emanation from spring water is controlled manually by two huge gates



It continues downward toward the fields by primary and secondary canal networks



Primary canals represent the mother networks that takes the water from the spring towards 9 control points managed physically by the distributor employee through sluices



Water branches from the primary networks towards the secondary networks which distribute the water directly to the land parcels



Upon reaching the field, water is controlled by farmers through special sluice gateway which permits water to flow into the parcel

.

Sluice Gate to farm parcel

ANJAR IRRIGATION SYSTEM

 Managed since 1940 by the ALWUA which is

made up of management board (7-9 members)

 Elected on yearly bases from the farming

community

 Appointed anonymously to act under the

municipality patronage.

• 4 members are selected as permanent

employees who are appointed on yearly basis through a contractual agreement

 In addition to the management body, there

are seasonal staff “April- September”:

 12 staff take care of canal clean up on daily

basis

 4 to 5 guard the field & prevent thefts

(recruited by municipality for four months)

Organizational & Operational Aspects AWUA

Organizational & Operational Aspects

 The committee offers its services to all the farmers who practice

agriculture within the canal domain, which include:

• Organizing the irrigation system from the source to the user,
• Monitoring the operation & maintenance of the canal system
• Managing field issues
• Managing of administrative & financial matters
• Budgeting & reporting to ARF & municipality
• Providing the farmers with the necessary services through

reasonable & recognized prices

• Guarding of farms through appointed guards during cropping

season

• Reclaiming of any waste land which is left by its owners
• Managing conflict between farmers
• Supporting farmers with in-kind contributions

Organizational & Operational Aspects

 FOUR hubs offer farmers’ services:

• One is a big office located in the village & used for major
• fficial meetings & for storing management’s database
• The other three are water offices present on the field in-
• rder to manage the farmers daily issues

Organizational & Operational Aspects

• Communal & Institutional laws govern the

interaction between the farmers & the water committee

• Farmers are provided water on schedule basis

during the irrigation seasons (April through October)

• Water fees are set objectively by the board based
• n the general fees which are present in the

agriculture market and usually takes place in consolidation with the farmers.

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

SPNL’s Hima Intervention for Improving the Managmement of Water Resources in the Area

SPNL’s Hima Intervention

• Adopts the system through the Hima, and working on

improving its efficiency.

• Supports its dissemination to the near Hima of Kfar

Zabad village for improving Water Management

• Improving the management of water quality and

quantity used for agriculture from the canals, wells and wetlands in both Anjar and Kfar Zabad

• Improve the valuation and appreciation of the Hima

water ecosystems in Anjar and Kfar Zabad IBA for people and nature.

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

Improve efficiency of canal system

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

Increase farmers Awareness& capacity

• Promote alternative

irrigation approaches

• Improve

monitoring

 Developing WUA in Kfar Zabad for improving management

• f Water Resource through twinning AWUA experience

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

 improve the valuation and appreciation of the Hima

water ecosystems in Anjar and Kfar Zabad IBA for people and nature.

Khatib, Bassima; Nov 06

Thank you