The November 7 Creativity Prize was attributed this year by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to a Tunisian scientist, Dr. Bellachhab Chahbani, a Professor at the Institute of Arid Regions in Medenine, for his research on the improvement of water management and the optimization of irrigation systems in arid and semi arid zones.
Dr. Chahbani who was the recipient recently of the prestigious UNESCO “Great Man Made River International Water Prize for Arid and Semi Arid Zones”, (attributed every two years), is also the winner of several international Prizes including the “Hydrotop” Prize in Marseilles, France and a Maghrebi Prize for water management.
He also won two silver medals in Geneva for his various inventions, as well as the ALECSO 2007 Prize for water management.
After being honored by President Ben Ali , the Tunisian scientist said in an interview with the daily, “La Presse” that the Presidential distinction “is laden with great pedagogical value”, explaining that since he was awarded the prize, even ordinary people devoid of a scientific background are calling him to know more about his research.
Dr. Chahbani who has been working at Institute of Arid Regions in Medenine in southern Tunisia for the past 25 years, comes from an family of farmers from the island of Djerba .
His research which has been patented both in Tunisia and internationally, consists of the invention of an underground water sprinkler system to reduce water evaporation and drop out. A factory will soon be set up to manufacture the system.
Dr Chahbani is confident that his invention can contribute to solving problems posed by drought in the African Sahel area which is suffering from an endemic water shortage and the corollary problem of malnutrition.
