Latest news with #irrigation
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa's polluted rivers pose food contamination risk
Quality of irrigation water should be a national priority, says scientist. Scientists at the University of Pretoria have found that fresh vegetables are being contaminated by disease-causing bacteria through irrigation from polluted rivers and boreholes. Photos: Steve Kretzmann / GroundUp - Researchers at the University of Pretoria have found pathogens on leafy vegetables from both commercial and small-scale, informal farms. - The researchers have linked the pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria to irrigation water from rivers and boreholes. - Almost half the samples analysed were resistant to at least three different types of antibiotics. - One of the main sources of river pollution in South Africa is failing sewage treatment works, with 81% of our sewage treatment works not meeting minimum standards. As billions of litres of untreated or partially treated sewage are released into South Africa's watercourses every day, scientists have found our vegetables are being contaminated by irrigation from rivers and boreholes. Professor Lise Korsten of the University of Pretoria told Parliament's portfolio committee on agriculture in January that irrigation water was 'not fit-for-purpose' for food production and that fixing the quality of irrigation water should be a national priority. The 'crisis of our water' was one of several elements impacting food safety and human health, she said. The daily sewage pollution of our rivers is contaminating irrigation water with disease-causing bacteria, known as pathogens. In many cases, these pathogens are resistant to antibiotics, which is an extremely serious health concern. Contaminated spinach At least six studies by scientists at the University of Pretoria link irrigation water to contamination of fresh vegetables in Gauteng, Limpopo, North West, and the Western Cape. Contamination by pathogens has been found in both large commercial and informal small-scale supply chains. One of the studies from the university's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, co-authored by Korsten and published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology in November 2021, found 80 different types of E. coli (Escherichia coli – a type of bacteria found in the human gut) as well as Salmonella species in the irrigation water and on the produce at three commercial spinach farms in Gauteng. Although E. coli bacteria are common and naturally occurring, many of which are harmless or even beneficial, there are types that are pathogenic and can cause serious food poisoning. E. coli is also an indicator species revealing larger faecal contamination. The scientists tested for E. coli and Salmonella on 288 samples collected from the farms. Of the samples, 192 were from the spinach and 42 were taken from the irrigation water. The remaining samples were from soil, water used for washing during processing, and from work surfaces. Of the 288 samples, 65 tested positive for E. coli, with 80 different types of E. coli found. Some samples had more than one type. One of the E. coli types found contained the stx2 virulence gene that releases a toxin that can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea, bloody stools, vomiting, fever, and kidney failure in severe cases. The stx2 virulence gene was found in the irrigation holding dam fed by river water. Salmonella species were found in nine of the 288 samples. Of the 80 E. coli types, 76 (95%) were resistant to at least one antibiotic and 35 (44%) to three or more. The paper notes that contamination of fresh vegetables with human pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria such as E. coli and species of Salmonella can come from manure in the soil or from processing facilities. But contaminated irrigation water 'is regarded as one of the primary reservoirs, and routes of transmission, of human pathogenic bacteria onto fresh produce during primary production', state the authors. In a 2021 report to the Water Research Commission, the study's authors stated: 'A clear link was established between contaminants isolated from the irrigation water and the associated fresh produce.' Untreated sewage leaks from a sewage treatment works in Standerton, Mpumalanga, into the Vaal River which is visible in the background. Open sewers South Africa's sewage quality guidelines measure microbiological compliance (levels of faecal bacteria), chemical compliance, which refers to 'Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates, Ortho-Phosphates, etc.', and physical compliance, which refers to pH, suspended solids and electrical conductivity. To comply with minimum microbiological standards, effluent released into the environment should contain less than 1,000 faecal coliforms (such as E. coli) per 100ml. There are 144 municipalities responsible for sewage treatment in South Africa. The Department of Water and Sanitation Integrated Regulatory Information System shows 86 of these achieve microbiological compliance scores of less than 50%. A further 31 are 'Poor', achieving compliance scores of between 50 – 70%. This means 81% of our sewage works are failing microbiological compliance. But of the sewage works that have good microbiological compliance, many fail on chemical compliance, meaning they are releasing high levels of nitrates, ortho-phosphates, and ammonia into rivers. And it is often the case that the large sewage works, which release millions of litres daily into rivers, are the ones failing, whereas small sewage works that release thousands of litres daily, are meeting minimum standards. An example of this is in Cape Town, where Philadelphia sewage works, which achieves a 100% compliance score, releases up to 86,000 litres of effluent into the environment per day. But the Athlone sewage works, which currently has a 4% microbiological compliance rate, turns the Black River into little more than an open sewer as it releases up to 105-million litres of largely untreated effluent into it daily. Similarly, the Klip River in Gauteng, which is a river used to irrigate produce analysed by the University of Pretoria researchers, receives about 260-million litres of effluent from failing sewage works per day. In Vereeniging, where the Klip joins the Vaal River, dead fish regularly float past. Other rivers used to irrigate the crops analysed by the University of Pretoria researchers were the Olifants, which receives 18-million litres of effluent per day, and the Crocodile River, which receives about 68-million litres of effluent per day. Superbugs Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Professor Marc Mendelson, in a four-part series for GroundUp, said the global increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a major health problem. Mendelson wrote that since the discovery of penicillin 83 years ago, 'miraculous antibiotics have become less and less effective as the bacteria that they are used to treat become resistant'. Antibiotics are not only needed to treat infections, but they are also needed to prevent infections in cancer treatment and surgery. 'Losing these antibiotics is a big deal,' he stated. He stated he had seen a continuous rise in antibiotic resistance over the last 15 years at Groote Schuur Hospital, which was 'now culminating in the end game, with an increasing number of untreatable infections'. 'We have had to use dire measures to save lives, such as amputation of infected limbs, because no antibiotic options are left, something unthinkable 20 years ago.' Speaking to GroundUp, he said we are seeing 'the coming together of poor sanitation systems and the overuse of antibiotics', with the result being that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are being found on food. But he said even if sewage treatment plants were run properly, they would not remove all antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as they were not designed to do so. Nonetheless, he said if South Africa were able to meet the goal of universal provision of clean water, it would have 'major impacts' on reducing mortality and infection rates, as well as secondary impacts such as improving education outcomes. Pathogens, particularly those which are antibiotic-resistant, in tap water sourced from dams polluted by failing sewage treatment works, increased diarrhoeal outbreaks, he said. The small thing people could do was to properly wash fruit and vegetables before eating or preparing them (or cook them). The 'bigger thing' was the provision of clean water and sanitation systems, along with environmental surveillance of antibiotic resistance. A dysfunctional sewage treatment works in Winburg, Free Stage, from which sewage flows untreated into the dam from which drinking water for the town is extracted. Economic threat ActionSA chief whip and MP Athol Trollip told GroundUp the contamination of fruit and vegetables from contaminated irrigation water could harm South Africa's significant export market. Trollip was particularly concerned about citrus, which last brought in R33bn from exports to Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and the USA. He said European competitors such as Spain were looking for ways to prevent South Africa – which is the second largest citrus exporter after Egypt – from muscling into the highly regulated European market. For instance, new European Union regulations, which Citrus Growers' Association chief executive Justin Chadwick called 'discriminatory' and 'unscientific', regarding citrus black spot and false codling moth, posed a challenge to exporters last year. The last thing you want is a consignment of citrus from the Eastern Cape to be riddled with E. coli, as it would set off a high alert and put our exports in danger, said Trollip. He said losing the European market due to such an incident would be 'devastating'. Besides affecting the farmers, it would have 'massive employment consequences' and reduce the country's access to foreign currency. The state of South Africa's sewage treatment and resultant pollution of rivers is 'of great concern' as it also affects local produce and livestock. That many municipalities extracted drinking water from dams polluted by untreated, or partially treated effluent, meant a cholera outbreak — such as occurred in Hammanskraal in 2023 — was 'waiting to happen', he said. 'My concern is we're not doing enough to hold municipalities to account for [sewage treatment] dysfunction. It seems a case of out of sight, out of mind, but the downstream impact is immense.'
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Jordan's major dams see 26% drop in water storage between 2023 and 2024
AMMAN — Water storage levels in the Kingdom's majordams have dropped by more than a quarter over the past year, according to newly released figures from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Official data shows that water stored in the Kingdom's dams fell by 26.24 per cent between 2023 and 2024. Total storage reached approximately 118.7 million cubic meters in 2023 but declined to 87.6 million cubic meters in 2024. The ministry's report, cited by the government-owned Al Mamlaka TV, also highlighted an imbalance between water inflow and outflow. In 2024, around 219 million cubic meters of water was discharged from dams, while only 187 million cubic meters flowed in. The Wahda Dam recorded a storage level of 1.33 million cubic meters, used for both drinking and irrigation. The Wadi Al Arab Dam held 5.54 million cubic meters, and the Ziqlab Dam stored 931,000 cubic meters, both allocated for irrigation. In the north, the Kafranjah Dam stored 2.24 million cubic meters for drinking and irrigation, while the King Talal Dam, one of the largest in the country, held 31.1 million cubic meters, used for irrigation and electricity generation. The Karamah Dam had 22.6 million cubic meters. Several dams were also cited for their roles in groundwater recharge. The Wadi Shueib Dam stored 247,000 cubic meters, while the Kafrein Dam held 3.45 million cubic meters, and the Zarqa Ma'in Dam stored 135,000 cubic meters. The Walah Dam contributed 1.69 million cubic meters to groundwater reserves. In central and southern Jordan, the Mujib Dam stored 11.1 million cubic meters for irrigation and drinking purposes. The Tannur Dam held 5.2 million cubic meters, mainly for irrigation and industrial use. Other notable dams included Ibn Hammadwith 300,000 cubic meters, Faydan with 1.2 million, Lajounwith 50,000, Karak with 266,000, and Wadi Rahmeh, which stored 188,000 cubic meters, primarily for flood control and irrigation. The country remains the most water-scarce in the world in the report, with annual per capita water availability at just 60 cubic meters, far below the global average of 500 cubic meters. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
University of Sharjah and IBM launch My FarmWell mobile app to promote sustainable agriculture in water-stressed regions
Empowers farmers with groundwater monitoring and data-driven irrigation insights to address water scarcity challenges in arid areas. Sharjah, UAE – The University of Sharjah (UoS), in collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM) through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, today announced the launch of My FarmWell, a mobile application designed to tackle water scarcity challenges and transform sustainable agriculture across the UAE and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Built using IBM Environmental Intelligence and UoS Welly Chatbot, My FarmWell integrates IBM Cloud and region-specific water and climate data to provide farmers with timely, farm-level insights. From optimizing irrigation strategies to understanding local regulations, the app offers a comprehensive toolkit to support more sustainable and productive agricultural practices. With its bilingual (English and Arabic) user-friendly interface, My FarmWell equips farmers with access to well-specific data such as current water levels, historical groundwater trends, water quality indices (IWQI), and crop recommendations supporting smarter decisions in increasingly water-scarce environments. Speaking on the launch, UoS Chancellor His Excellency Prof. Essam El-Din Ajami expressed his pride in this scientific achievement, which stems from collaborative research conducted with IBM. He emphasized that, 'This milestone aligns with the university's strategic commitment to serving local and regional communities through impactful research that addresses environmental challenges'. He added that the University of Sharjah is dedicated to advancing sustainability efforts in a way that benefits not only the United Arab Emirates but also positions the university as a leading model for the entire Middle East and North Africa region. UoS Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, affirmed the keenness of the university's research sector to collaborate with various entities and institutions in conducting research of tangible societal benefit. He noted that 'My FarmWell represents a practical application of cutting-edge innovations in sustainability, offering solutions to pressing environmental challenges.' He added that it is also a concrete step toward smart, resilient, and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Adewale Giwa, Principal Investigator of the project, underscored the app's transformative potential, saying, "My FarmWell equips farmers with crucial insights that facilitate smarter water use and long-term sustainability.' "My FarmWell is a great example of how IBM technology can help businesses of all sizes manage through environmental risks', said Shukri Eid, General Manager, IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan. 'Here we are empowering farmers with data-driven insights on water, but Cloud and AI can unlock progress for all sorts of organizations, helping them boost resiliency and lower costs." Other Key Features of My FarmWell include: Intuitive app screen: Provides weather information based on user location, quick overview of selected well details, links to agricultural regulations, food market prices, and a University of Sharjah-developed chatbot for farming and well-related advice. Comprehensive weather information: Powered by IBM Environmental Intelligence, offering current temperature (high, low, and perceived), weather conditions, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours, and weather forecast for the next 10 days. Well water monitoring and insights: Allows users to track historical groundwater changes, assess trends over time, and evaluate the severity of well water scarcity. Crop recommendations: Suggests suitable crops to grow based on specific water quality indices (Integrated Water Quality Index levels). Farm water consumption calculator: Helps estimate water needs for crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing farm water usage. Educational hub: Provides comprehensive resources on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. Market price integration: Links to global food market prices, enabling farmers to align irrigation strategies with market trends. My FarmWell reflects a strong partnership between academia and industry, designed to address critical regional challenges through innovation. The project exemplifies the mission of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, a social innovation program that applies IBM technologies, such as hybrid cloud and AI, and an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale nonprofit and government organization initiatives, accelerating environmental and economic impact. The app is available for download here: Android | iPhone ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF SHARJAH The University of Sharjah (UoS) stands as a premier institution in the UAE, recognized for its academic excellence and research prowess. Ranked #1 in the UAE and #4 in the Arab region by U.S. News & World Report, UoS showcases its commitment to quality education. UoS ranks 53rd worldwide for Research Quality and 69th in the Times Higher Education Worldwide Young University Rankings 2024. The university offers over 120 programs across 14 colleges, emphasizing disciplines like engineering, health sciences, and business. Its expansive campus boasts over 200 advanced laboratories, state-of-the-art sports facilities, and dedicated research centers. Strategic partnerships with esteemed institutions such as McMaster University and the University of Sheffield further enhance its global footprint. For further details, please visit the official website: ABOUT IBM IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit for more information. About the IBM Sustainability Accelerator Launched in 2022, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator is a social innovation program that supports communities facing environmental and economic stress around the world, through technologies like AI and an ecosystem of experts. Each year, the program selects five new projects to develop and scale technology and AI solutions addressing topics like sustainable agriculture, clean energy, water management, resilient cities or sustainable consumption and production.
Jordan Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Kingdom's major dams see 26% drop in water storage between 2023 and 2024
By JT - May 18,2025 - Last updated at May 18,2025 AMMAN — Water storage levels in the Kingdom's majordams have dropped by more than a quarter over the past year, according to newly released figures from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Official data shows that water stored in the Kingdom's dams fell by 26.24 per cent between 2023 and 2024. Total storage reached approximately 118.7 million cubic meters in 2023 but declined to 87.6 million cubic meters in 2024. The ministry's report, cited by the government-owned Al Mamlaka TV, also highlighted an imbalance between water inflow and outflow. In 2024, around 219 million cubic meters of water was discharged from dams, while only 187 million cubic meters flowed in. The Wahda Dam recorded a storage level of 1.33 million cubic meters, used for both drinking and irrigation. The Wadi Al Arab Dam held 5.54 million cubic meters, and the Ziqlab Dam stored 931,000 cubic meters, both allocated for irrigation. In the north, the Kafranjah Dam stored 2.24 million cubic meters for drinking and irrigation, while the King Talal Dam, one of the largest in the country, held 31.1 million cubic meters, used for irrigation and electricity generation. The Karamah Dam had 22.6 million cubic meters. Several dams were also cited for their roles in groundwater recharge. The Wadi Shueib Dam stored 247,000 cubic meters, while the Kafrein Dam held 3.45 million cubic meters, and the Zarqa Ma'in Dam stored 135,000 cubic meters. The Walah Dam contributed 1.69 million cubic meters to groundwater reserves. In central and southern Jordan, the Mujib Dam stored 11.1 million cubic meters for irrigation and drinking purposes. The Tannur Dam held 5.2 million cubic meters, mainly for irrigation and industrial use. Other notable dams included Ibn Hammadwith 300,000 cubic meters, Faydan with 1.2 million, Lajounwith 50,000, Karak with 266,000, and Wadi Rahmeh, which stored 188,000 cubic meters, primarily for flood control and irrigation. The country remains the most water-scarce in the world in the report, with annual per capita water availability at just 60 cubic meters, far below the global average of 500 cubic meters.
Zawya
16-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Kenya: Galana Kulalu Food Security Project takes shape
The long-awaited Galana Kulalu food security project is now ready for full operationalisation, President William Ruto has announced. This follows the completion of construction works on the siltation basin and canal for the Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project. Two years ago, President Ruto directed the construction of key infrastructure, including an intake, pump station, inlet canal, reservoir, outlet canal, and off-take reservoir. The Sh519.4 million infrastructure is now fully built and undergoing final testing. It comprises a 753-metre inlet canal, a 450 million-litre reservoir, a 1,210-metre outlet canal, and a 20 million-litre off-take sump. President Ruto said the project is designed to optimise water management for enhanced agricultural productivity. He pointed out that the irrigation project, among others, will eradicate the shame of hunger in the country. 'For a long time, there has been a lot of talk about this project. It has been enough talk; now the work begins,' he said. Speaking during the inspection of the testing phase of the project on Friday, the President said the government is working with the private sector under a Public-Private Partnership to operationalise the project and scale up food production. 'We want to use this project to grow food, create jobs as well as ensure we have products for export,' he said. President Ruto said the Galana Kulalu project will also be used to produce animal feed to boost livestock farming in the country. He announced that a private company will begin farming next week. He said Kenya and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see companies invest in food and animal feed production. A total of 250,000 acres will be brought under irrigation. Of this, 20,000 acres are allocated to Selu Limited, 50,000 acres to Nyumbani Foundation and 180,000 acres to Al Dahra of the UAE. To ensure that water from River Galana is well utilised, President Ruto said a dam will be built to guarantee adequate water supply to the irrigation project. The President also inspected the construction of the Galana-Kulalu Bridge and access road, critical infrastructure that will facilitate the efficient movement of produce from the farms to market. It features a 200-metre bridge and access roads at a cost of Sh1.5 billion. Later, he inspected the electrification of the Galana Kulalu Food Security Project, which will lower the cost of production by eliminating the use of diesel to power the farm. The Sh2.9 billion electrification project will support sustainable food security and facilitate agro-processing facilities within the irrigation scheme. Power supply is currently being installed by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), with completion expected by 2026. At the same time, he said his focus is on fulfilling the pledges he made to Kenyans, adding that it was not yet time for politics. The President called on leaders to shun divisive politics, work together, and focus on initiatives that will transform people's lives. 'The time for elective politics will come, and the people will make their choice. No one will be voted for because of how well they hurled insults,' he said. The President said the government will continue serving all citizens equally, irrespective of their political affiliation. 'We do not want to discriminate against anyone based on how they voted. Every citizen made their choice as guaranteed by the Constitution,' he said. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of President of the Republic of Kenya.
