Farmers adapt desalination for agriculture

The two day Oman Water Society's Symposium is focusing on Small Desalination Units for Agriculture Sustainability - Challenges and Opportunities held under the auspices of Dr Fuad Jafar al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries at Al Nahda Resort, Barka.

However there are challenges, 'The farmers find the desalination units to be a problem solver but they should pay attention on how to dispose the brine and what crops to grow.  They ought to cultivate crash crops.  We have international and national experts sharing their knowledge and we also have farmers attending the Symposium,' said Zaher al Suleimani, Chairman of Oman Water Society.

The two challenges of using desalination units for farming are economic and environmental said Dr Salem al Jabri, Assistant Professor in Water Resources, Sultan Qaboos University.  'The venture can be expensive but it has its benefits as agriculture needs sweet water.  However the environmental impact also is something that must be given importance because the right way to dispose brine - the end result of desalination.'