The center will be located in Khirbet-Kanafar (Bekaa
region), actually the geological and climatic
characteristics of Khirbet-Kanafar can give a significant
sample of the whole Bekaa region.
The
tender for the civil works of the
center will be lunched in March 2004
so that the civil works will begin in May 2004
.
The Center most likely be done by June 2005
Main
Objectives of Khirbet-Kanafar Station:
Collaborate with the agricultural faculties and schools
in order to train the students particularly on irrigated
crops and irrigation methods;
Coordinate with the agricultural institutions and firms
in order to test the irrigation material for a better
advice to the users;
Collect climatic data in order to help the farmer knowing
the irrigation calendar and the use of a preventive frost
control system;
Execute studies to calculate crop water use;
Test
irrigation material and adopting a common strategy for water
management;
Study the agricultural problems in the high humidity region;
Test
new varieties before releasing them to the farmer.
In
order to achieve these objectives in an efficient way, it
would be wiser to proceed in executing part of the complete
station planned by LRA, which would be extensible in the
future.
Main
Services of Khirbet-Kanafar Station:
The
most urgent services that to be presented by the center, are
split into four main sections:
The Litani River Authority Capacity Building section;
The agriculturists know-how assistance section;
The exchange of technology section;
The Awareness campaigns section.
The
first section will cover training sessions subjected in the
beginning to a special technical crew from the Litany River
Authority. The program aims at a self-autonomy in the matter
of the River Bed recalibration. The process doesn’t stop
here: the crew will be witnessing life teaching and guidance
period of one year addressed to concerned and qualified
people from the area of action, mainly agriculturists, so
that he will take the lead later on. A department in the
center will be created for that purpose.
The
second section will deal with all problems that may face the
agriculturists (water flood, crop productions alternatives,
crop diseases…) trying to solve them by giving the
agriculturists the necessary information and teaching them
the know-how to avoid such troubles in the future. A
department in the center will be created for that purpose as
well.
The
third section will offer services to whoever may be
concerned, such as students and scientific researchers,
through lectures, soil and water analysis, pre and post
school training… this is an indispensable way to introduce
new technologies in the area of action and to spread them
among interested people not only in the Southern Bekaa but
in all the country.
In
addition to the above mentioned sections, this center will
offer assistance through a water scarcity awareness program,
targeting both domestic and industrial water use, the
purpose of this department that will have this commitment is
to sensibilise the whole population on the danger that is
menacing not only the meant area of action but the whole
world unless each individual will take conscious and
responsible measures in view of the water scarcity dilemma.
Main
Units of Khirbet-Kanafar Station:
The
units needed on short term are:
The
Administration Building composed of two floors will include
on the first level one conference room, one library and a
small cafeteria. The second floor will include the offices.
Khirbet-Kanafar Station will have mainly three
departments: Administration, Rural Development and River
Rehabilitation.
The Rural Development sector will deal with farmer
problems and some technicians will have a continuous
follow-up in the region.
The River Rehabilitation team will be trained on a proper
management of the water resource.
The basement will comprise one laboratory for soil and
water analysis and a computer room plus some stockrooms.
In
addition a small-enclosed space will include the climatic
station, all data will be saved in a computer and this will
constitute the essential scientifical approach for a good
farm management in term of scheduling the irrigation time,
the preventive treatments, the frost control…
The
pilot farm will be the demonstrative reality where will be
tested the new techniques advised by Khirbet-Kanafar
Station. The technicians of the Extension department will
direct the farmers according to the results obtained in the
pilot farm. The land will be prepared in plots where
different crops will be planted, mainly fodder crops,
cereals and fruit trees.
An
independent construction will constitute the warehouse for
the agricultural machinery and a small gardener house.
