This report contains a collection of papers from a workshop—Strengthening Science-Based Decision-Making for Sustainable Management of Scarce Water Resources for Agricultural Production, held in Tunisia. Participants, including scientists, decision makers, representatives of non-profit organizations, and a farmer, came from the United States and several countries in North Africa and the Middle East. The papers examined constraints to agricultural production as it relates to water scarcity; focusing on 1) the state of the science regarding water management for agricultural purposes in the Middle East and North Africa 2) how science can be applied to better manage existing water supplies to optimize the domestic production of food and fiber. The cross-cutting themes of the workshop were the elements or principles of science-based decision making, the role of the scientific community in ensuring that science is an integral part of the decision making process, and ways to improve communications between scientists and decision makers.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Overview
Reaching out to Decision-Makers on Science Matters: Islamic World Academy of Sciences as an Example
The Elements of Scientific Advice
How can scientific research be more effectively integrated into public policy making?
The Academy of Science and Technology of Senegal: an instrument of action and advice to decision makers for the progress of the Nation
The Role of Science in Agricultural Water Management
Optimizing Irrigation for Agricultural Water Management: Scientific Principles
Linking Agricultural Water Management and Scientifically-Based Decision Making
Regulated Deficit Irrigation in Trees and Vines
The Water Resources and Water Management Regimes in Tunisia
Water in Tunisia: A National Perspective
Participatory Irrigation Management: A Case Study from Turkey
Putting Science Into Action: From Washington State Community-based Outreach To National Programming In Washington DC
Protecting the Dead Sea Basin: The Position of Friends of the Earth Middle East on the Red Dead Conduit and the protection of River Jordan
Training and Research Ideas for Water Management in the West Bank and Gaza
Web-Based Ecological Decision Support System
Regional Initiative for Dryland Management in Tunisia
APPENDIX A Agenda
APPENDIX B List of Participants