Study on to assess salinity status of coastal land |07 July 2017

A study is being carried out to assess the source and severity of the salinity status of Seychelles’ coastal plateau.

The significance of the study is to ensure that coastal farmers have all the necessary information to allow them to make calculated decisions on when, where and how to irrigate.

For agronomists it will afford them for the first time the possibility of developing local model for saline intrusion and make future prediction.

As for the decision makers it will help them to make scientifically sound decision on the land use and the type of agriculture model that is suitable for the region.

The study is being led by a leading water expert from Morocco, Dr Hamid Marah, who is the director for study and scientific research at CNESTEN, (Centre National de l'Energie, des Sciences et des Techniques Nucléaires) in Morocco. He is here to assist the country in its effort to understand the presence, source or sources and severity of the current salinity situation.

Dr Marah was proposed and nominated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the funding body for the project and was approved for this expert mission by the national liaison officer (NLO) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Seychelles Agricultural Agency (the local implementing agency).

As part of his work together with a local team they will collect soil sample from coastal agriculture zones on Mahé for hydro-chemical analysis and stable isotope analysis. 

In large part, the soil and plant diagnostic laboratory, except for Bromine analysis, is doing the hydro-chemical analysis locally.  The isotopic analysis will be done in Morocco. “These analyses will allow Seychelles for the first time to have tangible data that could tell us the source and severity of the salinity status on Seychelles coastal plateau,” says Barry Nourice, project counterpart.

While in Seychelles Dr Marah have had the opportunity to meet with the NLO, other government officials, farmers and EBA (Ecosystem base adaptation) project manager Betty Seraphine and the EBA project team.

According to Mr Nourice, EBA is making significant contribution to this project by providing GPS and GIS system for the mapping and is contributing greatly in the fieldwork currently ongoing at Anse Royale to address the salinity issue. 

Dr Marah is expected to leave the country today but the soil and plant diagnostic laboratory will continue to maintain a working relationship with the CNESTEN.

“As the result of this study provides us with the way forward we hope that the farming community will manage to improve their production and ensure better food supply to the people of Seychelles,” says Mr Nourice.

This study is the water segment of a bigger national project on soil and water management which has been going on for the past three years under the aegis of the Seychelles Agricultural Agency. The project is being funded by the International Energy Agency in collaboration with various partners, namely the UNDP GEF Small Grant Programme, The EBA and the University of Aberdeen.

To date the project has seen many accomplishments. Staff have been trained to the level of masters in soil science, while technicians have been trained to specialise in soil and water testing and also in atomic absorption analysis.

The soil lab has received a number of equipment that has allowed it to conduct more soil analysis for the farming community, thus helping them to better manage their fertiliser and manure application.