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Business Editors/Environment Writers |
Emerging Countries Discuss Water Management Concerns |
Food Security and Environmental Sustainability Key Issues Moving Forward |
BEIJING, CHINA, Sep. 15 -/E-Wire/Business Wire/-- The International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage (ICID) has convened its 19th International Congress and 56th International Executive Council Meeting to focus on addressing the urgent issue of water usage and land for food security and environmental sustainability. This is in the lead up to participation and involvement in the 4th World Water Forum (WWF) to be held in Mexico City next year in March.
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The activities at this congress and meeting are focused on confronting the challenges with balancing food security, environmental sustainability and water efficiency and establishing a framework for raising awareness and sharing solutions and best practices in addressing problems with water resource management.
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Many of the challenges and issues discussed have been ongoing for many emerging countries throughout the world including those with a great history of ancient irrigation and water management systems. Five of these emerging countries China, Egypt, India, Mexico and Pakistan account for 43% of the world population and 51% of the world's irrigated area.
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"Countries such as Mexico, India and China among others have recently gone through a transformation that has allowed them to more evenly balance the supply of agricultural products with a general equilibrium in demand and supply, despite ongoing challenges. And in many aspects they lead the world in developing sustainable solutions that grow in relevance as the world's populations increase," said Dr. M. Gopalakrishnan, Secretary General of the International Commission on Drainage and Irrigation.
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China as an example, displays a strong record of improved resource management and food production leading to high growth rates in grain production and a supply of agricultural products in recent years. Though these achievements have been made in many countries there are still many issues facing poorer areas and general food supply and environmental impacts of water resource management. In light of this there continues to be an urgent need to explore ways to produce more food with more water efficiency and sustainable conditions.
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"The challenges that professionals and all stakeholders face working in the field of irrigation, drainage and flood control are enormous. They comprise the ability to design and operate a new generation of efficient agricultural water management systems while sustaining ecosystems and the environment," said Aly Shady, President Honoraire of the International Commission on Drainage and Irrigation and President of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA).
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As ICID meets to discuss this issue it is also preparing to contribute to the theme as presented at the World Water Forum scheduled to be held in Mexico in March 2006. The Forum in Mexico will be an opportunity to further elaborate on issues discussed during this ICID meeting as one of the five major themes will be Water Management for Food and the Environment, and will provide a focus on local actions and key learnings from across the globe.
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"The upcoming World Water Forum will be an important opportunity to share with a variety of stakeholders the current challenges and the 'local actions' that are an important part of exploring innovative solutions to the new as well as ancient problems we are facing today," said Dato' Ir. Keizrul bin Abdullah, President of the International Commission on Drainage and Irrigation.
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Local cases and actions shared included the Mexican example of the Modernization of Small-scale Irrigation Systems. This case delivered at the ICID conference in Beijing provides a new model with growing acceptance and application in Mexico for financing infrastructure and water projects, that seeks to curb problems with inadequate supervision on the maintenance of works and ill management of transportation and water distribution. To overcome these problems the Mexican Government through the National Water Commission (CNA) has embarked on a project to promote the management and development of water works through the participation of civil associations and multi-stakeholder input and engagement.
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"By sharing these local actions and recognizing the necessity of adapting unique approaches from across the globe to meet local needs we are able to meet the challenges of water resource management and create projects that take into account multiple stakeholder and environmental concerns," said Dr. Luis Rendon, Chairman of the Mexican Committee for the ICID.
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During this visit to the ICID meeting in Beijing the Mexican National Water Commission and organizers of the 4th World Water Forum have had an opportunity to take part in sharing experience and working towards participation from across the globe including the Chinese National Irrigation and Drainage Committee and other key stakeholders.
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"We are committed to the success and shared experience of this ICID conference and will continue to play a role in addressing these and other water issues in the Forum in Mexico. The 4th World Water Forum is an important event to build a bridge and platform for discussion on many of the issues that affect people and governments all over the world." said Madame Meng Zhimin, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, PRC.
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About the 4th World Water Forum
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The World Water Forum is an initiative of the World Water Council aiming at raising awareness on global water issues. The First Forum was held in Morocco (1997), the Second in The Hague (2000) and the Third in Japan (2003); the 4th World Water Forum will be held in Mexico City in March 2006, under the overarching theme of "Local Actions for a Global Challenge" with focus on best practices and knowledge sharing.
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The Forum has already been established as an open, multi-stakeholder participatory process, which build on the knowledge, experience and input of the global water community and seeks to enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialogue to influence water policy-making at a global level, thus ensuring better living and respect for the principles of sustainable development to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The World Water Fora are built on the knowledge and experience of different types of organizations active in the global water policy. It is a venture founded on the principles of collaboration, partnerships and innovation.
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About ICID
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The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) was established on 24 June 1950 as a Scientific, Technical and Voluntary Not-for-profit Non-Governmental International Organization (NGO) with headquarters in New Delhi, India. The Commission is dedicated to enhancing the worldwide supply of food and fiber for all people by improving water and land management and the productivity of irrigated and drained lands through appropriate management of water, environment and application of irrigation, drainage and flood management techniques.
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