RESEARCH AGENDA ON SUSTAINABILITY OF IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE

The materials presented in this paper are the result of a North Atlant ic Treaty Organization (NATO) Advanced Research Workshop on ''Sustaina bility of Irrigated Agriculture (Sustainability of Water Resources Uti lization in Agriculture),'' which was held in Vimeiro, Portugal betwee n 21 and 26 March 1994. The workshop was cosponsored by the Science an d Technology for Development (STD) program of the European Union, Cent re International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Mediterraneennes (CIHEA M) Centre Technique de Cooperation Agricole et Rurale (CTA), Institut Francais de Recherche pour L'ingenierie de L'agriculture et de L'envir onment (CEMAGREF) and Junta Nacional de Cienifica e Tecnologica (JNICT ). The purpose of that workshop was to provide in-depth discussion on irrigated agriculture among researchers and professionals of different disciplines coming from both developed and developing countries. The workshop objective was to integrate existing science and technology in to improved irrigation system performance and agricultural water manag ement, and to provide recommendations for future research directed tow ard sustainability of water use in agriculture. A total of 43 papers w ere presented and discussed under the following topics: sustainability of world irrigation systems; water management and water policies; sus tainability of indigenous water and soil conservation systems; irrigat ion water management and scheduling; on-farm irrigation systems; irrig ation scheme management; sustainability and environment concerns; and technological transfer. The research priorities presented in this pape r evolved from group discussions and are based on a common understandi ng of the challenges that our generation faces to ensure sustainable a gricultural development, both in developed and developing countries. T he priorities were established by voting of the workshop participants.