Objective Irrigation uses about 80% of all water diverted for various uses in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless, increased demand for other uses coupled with water scarcity is putting unprecedented pressures on reducing the share of freshwater used in irrigation. Give n the degree of scarcity in many areas of the Basin, if irrigation water use could be reduced, it could become a major water source, thus releasing resources for alternative use. The objective of this project is to evaluate the concept of deficit irrigatio n (DI) as a means of reducing irrigation water use while maintaining or increasing farmers profits. The DI concept will be the subject of multidisciplinary research at different scales, geographic locations, and with different perennial and annual crops. T he objective will be to develop a workable, comprehensive set of irrigation (DI) strategies that can be disseminated quickly among the various agricultural systems of the Mediterranean Region. The project addresses directly the first topic of the INCO-2002 -B1.2 specific measure, 'research on sustainable irrigation, including deficit irrigation'. Eleven partners from seven different countries (Greece, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey), including research and water association institutions wi ll work for three years on the project. Their main activities will be: a) the development of a general summary model of crop yield as a function of water supply, b) the validation of the model for the main irrigated annual (wheat, sunflower, cotton,) and p erennial crops (olive, pistachio, citrus), using common research protocols, c) a survey on physical, socio-economic and cultural conditions for each crop and irrigated area, and d) scaling up by combining the yield model with economic optimization modules that will generate optimum DI strategies compatible with the specific socio-economic characteristics of each area under study. The results of the project will provide #' Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencessoil sciencesengineering and technologycivil engineeringwater engineeringirrigationnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologyagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedsoilseedsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringnatural resources managementwater management Keywords Deficit Irrigation Irrigation Modelling water management Programme(s) FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) INCO-2002-B1.2 - Improving the water consumption by users and uses and plant breeding for efficient water and nutrient use Call for proposal FP6-2002-INCO-MPC-1 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator UNIVERSIDAD DE CÓRDOBA EU contribution No data Address Alfonso XIII, 13 CÓRDOBA Spain See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Greece EU contribution No data Address 75, Iera Odos ATHENS See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE HAUTES ETUDES AGRONOMIQUES MEDITERRANEENNES, ISTITUTO AGRONOMICO MEDITERRANEO OF BARI Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Ceglie, 9 VALENZANO (BA) See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CONSORZIO PER LA BONIFICA DELLA CAPITANATA Italy EU contribution No data Address Corso Roma, 2 FOGGIA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CUKUROVA UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE Türkiye EU contribution No data Address Balcali ADANA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUT AGRONOMIQUE ET VÉTÉRINAIRE HASSAN II Morocco EU contribution No data Address Av. Allal Fassi, Rabat-Instituts (Madinat Al Irfane) RABAT See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUT NATIONAL AGRONOMIQUE DE TUNISIE Tunisia EU contribution No data Address 43, Avenue Charles Nicolle TUNIS-MAHRAJÈNE See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNION TUNISIENNE DE L'AGRICULTURE ET DE LA PÊCHE Tunisia EU contribution No data Address Alain Savary Cité El Khadhra TUNIS See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF JORDAN, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE Jordan EU contribution No data Address Queen Rania Street AMMAN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data