RIYADH: A Saudi team from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is taking part in a training program organized by the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences in cooperation with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
The team includes 12 specialists from the ministry’s water agency, the Saudi Irrigation Organization, and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The course, being held in Lanzhou, China, from July 3-22, focuses on rainwater harvesting technologies and their applications. It is attended by representatives from China’s Ministry of Water Resources, along with several water experts and specialists.
The ministry said its participation aligns with efforts to implement international agreements and memoranda of understanding with partner countries. The course provides a unique platform for exchanging expertise in water-related fields, particularly rainwater harvesting, it added.
The course also covers the design of harvesting systems in rural and urban areas, improvement of collected water quality management and advanced purification technologies, the SPA added.
Supplementary irrigation techniques, economic evaluation of harvesting projects, concepts of sponge cities, water reuse, and the role of harvesting technologies in combating desertification and promoting sustainability are also explored.
The ministry said that the training features scientific lectures, practical workshops and field visits to innovative projects in several Chinese provinces.
The visits showcase systems for securing drinking water from rain, irrigated agriculture projects, sponge city initiatives, and integrated environmental models linking water technologies with urban and rural sustainability.
The ministry highlighted the importance of strengthening international cooperation and building national capacity in water management, according to the SPA.
This reflects its integrated approach to developing technical competencies, exchanging expertise with leading countries, advancing the water system and promoting sustainable, innovative solutions to water challenges in line with Vision 2030 goals.
