THE AGRICULTURAL WATER ALLOCATION ISSUES IN THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Abstract

Abstract : Groundwater is the only traditional water resources in Bahrain. It is a trans-boundary source. The aquifer outcrops in central Arabian Peninsula and discharges partly in Bahrain. The over-exploited of this scarce resource for many years has led to the deterioration of its quantity and quality to an alarming level. Most of the over-exploitation is attributed to agriculture sector. Meanwhile, the government tries to ease the dependency on groundwater by water desalination. This policy of increasing the supply has been confronted by the high cost of desalination and the increased demand. An alternative water source has arose recently that could reduce the dependency on groundwater, it is the treated wastewater. The high cost of desalinated water and the promising treated wastewater shifted gears in the use of groundwater for agriculture in Bahrain. However, the diversion of part of groundwater from agriculture could lead to other implications on farmers including jobs and social structure. The research herein addresses the issue of water management from the perspective of groundwater uses for agriculture sector. A questionnaire was prepared and distributed to 125 farmers on the basis of one-on-one meetings or interviews. Results of the questionnaire have indicated that the young Bahrainis are not taking over farming from old generation, have no objections for the use of treated wastewater for agriculture and thus farming is becoming more and more unattractive profession. Farmers are still using unwise agricultural practices like old irrigation systems and plantation of water consuming crops. The results illustrated that there is a good opportunity for the diversion of groundwater to other uses with little implications on farmers in the long run. These opportunities will sustain the available groundwater and environmental sustainability as a whole.