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WageningenX: Agricultural Water Management: Water,-Society and Technology Interactions

Would you like to meet the increasing food demands around the world by contributing to optimisation of water governance and technologies? At Wageningen University & Research, the No. 1 agricultural university of the world, we approach water management from both a technical and a social perspective. Because, properly deploying water technologies for successful water management requires social and institutional agreement. Join us and learn the fundamentals of agricultural water management.

Agricultural Water Management: Water,-Society and Technology Interactions
10 weeks
4–5 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available

There is one session available:

After a course session ends, it will be archivedOpens in a new tab.
Starts Mar 19

About this course

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Increasingly scarce natural resources
Worldwide, a variety of processes puts more pressure on water resources every day. Global climate change causes temperatures to rise and precipitation patterns to change. A growing degree of urbanization causes people to move from the countryside to the cities. This results in increased competition over water resources, like rivers and groundwater, between cities and their surrounding areas. Furthermore, population growth and rising global welfare create an increased demand for food.

The growing demand for food must be obtained using existing agricultural land, since we are already dealing with scarcity of new farmland. Yet, the potential of increased production in the existing rain-fed agricultural areas is low.

Sustainable water management; various perspectives to consider
The combination of the processes described above create an urgent need for improved agricultural water management, agriculture being the dominant water user worldwide. In our search for sustainable solutions the management and governance regarding irrigation and drainage should take a number of water related aspects into account, among which:

• the different perspectives of involved uses and users
• including various spatial levels, from farm, to scheme, to river basin
• minding the effects on both upstream and downstream water users
• each of which must be combined with the right quantity and quality of water

Wageningen University & Research is actively involved in debates on water and food. Predominantly focussing on the combination of both water technologies and social factors, this creates a unique socio-technical approach.

Putting theory into practice
In this MOOC, we will focus on the role agricultural water management plays in this global context of sustainable water and food supplies. The online course consists of several learning modules, combined with a case study.
We start by taking a deep dive into practical and technical aspects, from crop characteristics and irrigation water requirements to actual field practices.
Subsequently, we explore the institutional perspective, from models of rural development to water management demands.
The case study videos and interviews from Morocco create the opportunity for you to directly apply your newly acquired knowledge in a real-life situation.

For whom?
This MOOC is for anyone with basic knowledge of social and biophysical sciences, ready to contribute to improving agricultural water management from where they are. Are you ready? Join us, enrol now!

Acknowledgments
We developed the MOOC: Agricultural Water Management: Water, Society and Technology Interactions in close cooperation with IAV (Institute Agronomique et Veterinaire Hassan II) in Rabat, Morocco. Specifically, professor Hammani (director of the institute) and researcher Ms. Kettani supported us greatly during the development of this MOOC. The case is situated in the Tadla irrigation scheme, where we were supported by the ORMVA-T. Special thanks go to Mohamed Saaf, chef of ORMVA-Tadla, for the support we received in the field.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated programs:
  • Associated skills:Agriculture, Water Resource Management, Urbanization, Irrigation (Landscaping And Agriculture), Management, Governance, Water Resources, Groundwater, Rural Development

What you'll learn

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  • Explain the allocation, distribution, governance and use of water
  • Apply the basic principles of estimating irrigation water requirements
  • Explain relations between water management practices and local agricultural conditions.
  • Understand the relation between water technologies, management & governance
  • Analyze the interrelations between institutional and infrastructural designs for sustainable water management in agriculture.

Module 1: Addressing Global Water Issues

This week introduces the concept of agricultural water management in the global context of water and food.

Module 2: Water Demand for Crop Production

In this week, the basics of calculating crop & irrigation water requirements and the relationship with actual field practices of farmers will be explained. Special attention is given to the relationship between climate, crop water requirements and crop types.

**Module 3: Agricultural Water Distribution & Technology **

In this week, the basics of the technology in agricultural water management will be explained. Special attention is given to the water management needs of different crops, and local conditions.

**Module 4: Agricultural Water Management & Governance **

In this week, the management and governance dimensions of various irrigation technologies will be explored at various institutional levels.

Module 5: Agricultural Water Management in Morocco –Putting knowledge into action

In this week, technical and social factors will be integrated and used in a final assignment applied to a real-life case study.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Do you have questions about the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and/or related online programmes of Wageningen University & Research? To help you find answers to your questions, we created a list with frequently asked questions about enrolling, participating in- and finishing a MOOC.

This course is part of Water & Drainage in Agriculture Professional Certificate Program

Learn more 
Expert instruction
2 skill-building courses
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
4 months
9 - 10 hours per week

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