Monday 16 November 2009

Prize for Arid and Semi-Arid Zones

November 5 to 7, 2009. Budapest, Hungary. 4th edition of the World Science Forum under the theme "Knowledge and Future". The forum aimed at promoting the need for science and scientific advice in political and economic decision-making. It also aimed at fastering better scientific communication among world societies.

Scientists, policy-makers, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions and research bodies, leaders of culture and industry, science and education ministers of the G77 countries were taking part in the event.
During this Forum the Great Man-Made River International Water Prize for Arid and Semi-Arid Zones, which is awarded every two years, has been given to Bellachheb Chahbani, who has spent more than 25 years at the Institute of Arid Regions in Medenine, Tunisia.
The laureate has helped improve water management and optimize irrigation systems by reducing evaporation and run-off. Scientists and local farmers helped elaborate the technique, which is already in use in central and southern Tunisia as well as in Algeria. In these areas, operating costs have been reduced and crops saved that would otherwise have been killed by drought.
The Tunisian researcher, has invented new techniques to promote the economy of surface water in arid areas. They consist of a float by gravity drainage, a pocket stone buried and drainage pumping in addition to the new method of injecting water retention in small dams.

Reference:
Newslab 24/01/08 Le génie Tunisien!