Kurdistan Enviromental Programme

Kurdistan Water Programme (KWP) 
 

Kurdistan, a water rich area,
Kurdistan, lies on the cross road of three continents and it has been the cradle of major civilizations. From this fact, we can consider that there is no real, civilization with out water, though many civilization are known as (River civilization), such as Mesopotamian (Kurdistan), and the Nile valley, many researchers called these societies (hydraulic society), and their civilization as (hydraulic civilization).
Mesopotamian (Kurdistan) is the place where the first hydraulic civilization in the world start, because of its oldest permanent Irrigation system known in the history.
 Because their was water and land and both are the main elements for life progress, so the first two ancient civilization in world, are in Mesopotamian (Kurdistan), and the Nile valley, but Mesopotamian civilization considered the oldest, and because of the strong relation ship of Mesopotamian civilization with irrigation the god of water (Enki) also known as the God of civilization.
From this old experiences of the water resources and hydraulic in the region, there is development and progress in irrigation and concept for modern multi-purpose projects now a days. Their was diverse cultures have resulted to different levels of economic development and socio-political systems.
 So there is a great deal that we need to learn about water and agriculture history in region,  because it dates back more than 5,000 years, but the damage done over the past two decades won't be easy to undo. What's needed now is information so that we can bring to bear the tools of modern  irrigation and agricultural research to help peoples in the region to develop its water, and agriculture in response to market forces and begin the job of rehabilitating its land and water resources,
Because in Kurdistan ability to feed itself had been compromised by years of neglect, drought, and the aftermath of the war.
Now days the region is encountering a rapid, unbalanced demographic growth and increased urbanization trends. At the same time, Kurdistan region is rich in unique and fragile ecosystems.
And Water supply in the region is unequally distributed in space and time, both at regional level and within riparian countries. And many regions have among the lowest per capita amount of water supply in the world. So, exploitation indexes of renewable natural fresh water resources have reached to high levels in the region. The intensive extraction and use of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes, without proper provisions for the protection of the resource, has led to serious water pollution of surface and ground water bodies. Due to the execution of the huge (GAP) project in Turkey, started mid of past century.
Agriculture consumes (70-80%) of water in the Mesopotamian regions. due to the traditional and old methods used in irrigation.
And due to the tradition in cooperation and networking schemes, there are many address issues of which, sustainable development, environmental protection and management of natural resources. Water is a defined priority in the majority of related regional processes. Because of its historical role in life of Iraqi Kurdistan peoples.
Iraq post war (The new Iraq) has to start in institutional reform, orienting priorities and practices towards an integrated water resources management. Not conflicts?
The shared century-old experiences and diverse cultures have resulted to uneven levels of economic development and socio-political systems. The region is encountering a rapid, unbalanced demographic growth and increased urbanization trends. At the same time, the region is rich in unique and fragile ecosystems.
Water supply in the region is unequally distributed in space and time, both at regional level and within each city. The Southern and Middle sub-regions have among the lowest per capita amount of water supply comparing with northern parts. Populations (5 million persons) in Iraqi Kurdistan lie above the poverty line of 500 m3/year per capita. In Kurdistan, the exploitation indexes of renewable natural fresh water resources have not yet reached 100%. Due the intensive extraction and use of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes, Drought season, without proper provisions for the protection of the resource, has to led to serious water pollution of surface and ground water bodies. Agriculture consumes 70-80% of water in the Kurdistan. Many cities in the region have to start institutional reform, orienting priorities and practices towards an integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach.
In Kurdistan there is a lack of tradition in cooperation and networking schemes, many of which address issues of sustainable development, environmental protection and management of natural resources. 
There is a need:

• KWP have to strengthen and make more concrete the regional framework to meet their target to develop water efficiency plans in the region. To be active member in the Global Water Partnership.
• To contribute and encourage the transformation of national water policies towards sustainability and to integrate water concerns into sectoral policies.
• to meet the strategic target to halve the proportion of people who do not have access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
• to build synergies by setting up active water partnerships at the regional and the national level.
• to build capacity, to raise public awareness and to educate the youth and woman's  on water issues.

Kurdistan Water Programme:
The (KWP) is a Regional Water Programme (KWP) in its present form, was created in 2005 and it aim to be the successor partnership.
KWP is a platform bringing together competent organizations working regularly on water issues in the region.
KWP represents the Global Water Partnership in the Kurdistan Region, and as such has the responsibility of implementing its principles and initiatives in the region. KWP goal is to promote and exchange knowledge on IWRM for the sustainable use of the region’s water resources.
For more information please contact:

KWP Secretariat
  Ramadhan Hamza, Dohuk University, Iraq,
 
T: +96407504591810,
E-mail: ramadhan56_2000@yahoo.com