RAINWATER HARVESTING: AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM FOR ACHIEVING FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) considering as a technique system is being exploited of the variance topographic nature of the earth's surface, such as the use of valleys, depressions and oases , or through the berms or small dams from stone or cisterns building , to collect then reserve and store rainwater and floods during winter periods in various ways that differs in the purpose of collecting them depending on their rainfall rates and reuse when needed, whether for drinking, supplementary agricultural irrigation or to feed groundwater. Iraq in general and Nineveh Governorate in particular have been experiencing severe environmental conditions in the past two years, (2020/2021) & (2021/2022), and the most important of which is the rainfall lowing and the increasing demographic growth offset by significant water consumption, so as to ensure continued food production, increased irrigation projects have become urgent. Iraq is one of the countries that suffers from water scarcity in general and the amount of rainfall ranges (99.8 billion cubic meters/year) fluctuating and irregular distribution, so it requires investing this quantity and managing its use rationally by the system of rainwater harvesting .Northern of Iraq, including Nineveh Governorate is characterize by cereal winter crops production by depends mainly on rain fall to produce winter crops such as Wheat and Barley by rainfed agriculture method with rain requirements of more than (400mm/year), the rate of rainfall for a period (1970-2011) reached (170.3 mm/year).The rainy season in Nineveh Governorate extends from November to the end of May with fluctuating falls and small amounts that do not meet the needs of agricultural crops. This current study was prepared to activate the potential for harvesting rainwater for agricultural uses in the rain-fed areas prevailing in Nineveh Governorate. The agricultural system in semi-dry areas, including Nineveh Governorate, suffers from drought due to lack of rain and lack of yield in winter crops, including wheat and barley, which attracts the attention of researchers and stakeholders in finding a strategic solution to this problem, which lies in the activation of rainwater harvesting techniques, which is an integrated system for water management in rain lands in semi-dry areas to meet the lack of water need for agricultural crops. This system includes facilitating the flow of rainwater through canyons according to the decline of the land towards depressions, valleys and water basins prepared for this purpose to conduct supplementary irrigation with sprinkler irrigation techniques to activate the productivity of agricultural crops ,improve the performance capacity of rainfed farming systems, sustain green cover, reduce biodiversity extinction and address the problem of environmental drought to achieve agricultural sustainability.