SIRRIMED project will address issues related to sustainable use of water in Mediterranean
irrigated agricultural systems, with the overall aim of optimizing irrigation water use. The approach
proposed in SIRRIMED for reaching this goal will be based in an Integrated Water Irrigation
Management (IWIM) where the improved water use efficiency will be considered at farm, irrigation
district and watershed scales. These strategies include innovative and more efficient irrigation
techniques for improving water productivity and allow savings in water consumption. SIRRIMED
will consider the development, test and validation of new deficit irrigation strategies, the
sustainable and safe use of poor quality waters and the improvement of precise irrigation
scheduling using plant sensors. These new techniques will be integrated with suitable husbandry
irrigation practices. At the district scale, efforts should be directed towards an integrated policy of
water allocation which accounts for the characteristics and specificity of each farm, requiring the
availabity of data bases and efficient management tools (decision support systems) specifically
designed to fulfil the objectives of maximizing water use efficiency. At the watershed scale, priority
is devoted to the assessment of new models of water governance, and the definition of strategies
and policies aimed at promoting a more responsible use of irrigation water. Finally, SIRRIMED will
establish a sound dissemination strategy for transfer of knowledge towards the end users, with a
real partipatory approach to facilitate an adequate involvement of stakeholders (farmers,
association of irrigation users, water authorities and SMEs)