Assessing irrigation trends and agricultural water resource management constraints in Malta

Zuzana Vláčilová

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

Malta is among the most densely populated and most water scarce countries in the world. Low rainfall and a seasonal variable semi-arid Mediterranean climate does not allow for full recharge of the aquifers as they are being over abstracted and polluted by fertilisers. This study was based on collating published scientific evidence, farmer and stakeholder surveys on current water resource management conducted in Malta in June 2016 and modelling irrigation water demand for potatoes using a water balance model tool (WaSim). The differences in the estimates of the agricultural water usage are significant. There was a general disagreement among stakeholders about management of the water resources and over all water governance. Farmers and the public are not aware of the water shortages and farmers still think they have enough available water for irrigation. The problem with the water shortages should be tackled at the farm level to help farmers to understand the current situation and enable easier adaptation of farmers to the changing climate.

Keywords

farmer, irrigation, demand, potatoes, irrigation practices, stakeholder survey

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 17. 4. 2017

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: doc. Ing. Martin Hanel, Ph.D.

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta životního prostředí

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Krajinné inženýrství / Land and Water Management