Title:
Increasing Food Security in Dry Areas of the Middle
East
Description: This is
a VOA Special English Technology Report.
See text below
Text:
Agricultural experts have launched a land and water
management project in the Middle East. The project
seeks to increase food security in dry areas.
Researchers say the water availability in some of
the areas has dropped well below the internationally
recognized standard.
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank, Syria
and Yemen are all taking part in the project. It is
part of a larger ten-year effort called the Water
and Livelihoods Initiative. The project is also
expected to increase household income for farmers in
the areas.
The United States Agency for International
Development provided one million dollars for the
Water and Livelihoods Initiative.
Scott Christianson is an agricultural development
advisor with U.S.A.I.D. He helped develop the
project while working for the International Center
for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas. He says
the countries taking part in the project were all
carefully selected.
He said they all share a socio-economic and cultural
history.
Research by the International Center for
Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas and its
partners has already proven to be successful. New
irrigation methods are expected to double wheat
production while using one-third of the water
required for full irrigation. Experts say the new
methods also increase crop production up to five
times more than crops that depend on rainfall only.
The International Center for Agricultural Research
in the Dry Areas will provide technical support for
the project. Officials from the International Water
Management Institute and the International Food
Policy Research Institute are also taking part in
the effort.
Each team will be joined by experts from local
research institutions, universities and government
agencies.
Scott Christianson said his group has good
partnerships among the countries so that they can
learn lessons from each other and work together
effectively.
He and other officials met in Amman, Jordan in
February. They attended an international conference
on food security and climate change in dry areas.
Nearly one-fourth of the world's people live in
these areas.
Officials say more must be done to deal with water
shortages in agriculture. If not, they say, the
future of food security, economic development and
social stability in dry areas will be put at risk.
And that's the VOA Special English Development
Report.
Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
To post a comment:
• Click "Comment using..." in
the window below
• Click your favorite service: Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail
• Login to the service
• Click "Add a comment..."
• Post your comment in the window
Students: Please post a
comment stating what you found interesting about this video. You are
welcome to include links to your English study blogs and any
other materials you think might be useful for learning
English.
Teachers: Please post your
thoughts about this video. You are welcome to include links to
your sites, blogs, and any other materials you think might
be useful for learning English.
Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
