ININTERNATIONIONAL COMMISSIONION ONON IRRIGIRRIGATIONION AND DRAININAGE NEWS UPDATE Managing Water for Sustainable Agriculture http://www.icid.org January 2015 From Secretary General's Desk... Dear Friends, The year 2015 will see two crucial United Nations summits. The first in September, where the world should agree on new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the aim to eradicate poverty, tackle inequality and ensure a more sustainable planet to ensure that the wellbeing of people today does not come at the expense of our children's futures. The second is the climate summit of UNFCCC in December, where the global leaders should pen an accord to replace the Kyoto Protocol to prevent Committee level. Some of the National who are unable to attend the meetings this blue lively planet Earth turning into an Committees are regularly sharing their physically during the IEC meetings, provide inhospitable ball of fire and deluge. activities with other members through the their inputs. Three of the WG Chairs have News UPDATE. I encourage you to please already fixed up tentative dates for the Just a few months to go before these do the same. virtual meeting during January, February summits, there are many issues to be and March months of 2015. You may like Sustainable agriculture is a subset of settled. Very few leaders are playing the to work with your WG chairs to arrange the Green Economy and a function of leadership role that is required for a better a convenient slot for the virtual meeting. world that we all are looking forward to. environmentally sound agriculture water We saw the climate talk under the UNFCCC management, the goal that ICID strives I also draw your attention to the Call for banner progress but at a snails’ pace earlier for. Under the new development paradigm, Papers (page 6) for the 26th European in December, leaving a lot of loose ends to as a professional organization, ICID, for an Regional Conference with the theme be tied. There is need to set goals that are optimal contribution, needs to take a fresh ‘Innovate to improve Irrigation Performance’ ambitious and have adequate financing and and careful look at where ICID is placed to be held in Montpellier, France from 11- implementation mechanisms. The actions today in the Irrigation, drainage and flood 16 October 2015 in conjunction with 66th that the world leaders take on these issues management sectors and what role the meeting of IEC. Commission can and should play, in the in 2015 will decide, which way the world Let me once again offer the services of intermediate and long term. Such a re-look turns for decades to come. ICID communication channels to share your is equally relevant in the changing role of activities. We will be happy to assist you The International non-Governmental irrigation and drainage in food production in in reaching out and share the knowledge organizations are raising their voice against both developed and developing economies. the slow progress leading to inequality and and experiences. Some of the National injustice that keep people poor and are going Keeping the above in view, President Committees are regularly sharing their louder by the day can no more be ignored. Dr. Saeed Nairizi has established a activities with other members through the However, once the agreements are inked, Consultative Group to develop an ‘ICID News UPDATE. I encourage you to please these organizations have the role cut out Vision 2030’ to look at the most do the same. Particularly in the beginning for them in facilitating the implementation appropriate role in line with its mandate of the year, I request you to please ensure process by enabling knowledge based and the changing global expectations. The that you have updated contact details of participation of various stakeholders. Consultative Group plans to involve you, your National Committees, Office Bearers our patrons, very soon before presenting and Members. As always, we are keen in World Water Day 2015 will be focussed the Vision 2030 for the consideration of the Central Office to receive your feedback on the theme “Water and sustainable International Executive Council, the general on our services. development”. The day will be used body of ICID. for making the concept of sustainable Best regards, development inherent in all water related In accordance with the decisions taken developments. It provides the NCs an at the 65th IEC in Gwangju, some of opportunity to make their voice heard at the Working Groups have seized the opportunity to organize a virtual meeting the national level and influence the global Avinash C. Tyagi of their Groups through video-conference agenda of sustainable development. We Secretary General will be happy-to-hear from you about the in between physical meetings at two IEC celebrations that took place at your National sessions. This will enable those participants President Dr. Saeed Nairizi visits Central Office President Dr. Saeed Nairizi visited ICID Central Office, New Delhi, after becoming the President of ICID from 12-15 January 2015. As per the invitation from India Water Week–2015 organizer, President Dr. Saeed Nairizi, addressed the gathering at the with Australia as the partner country and Union Minister for Water Resources Sushri Maharashtra as the Partner state, was Uma Bharti along with the South Australian Plenary Session and delivered a lecture on organized by Indian National Committee of Minister for Trade and Investment Martin “Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture – Making ICID (INCSW), under the Ministry of Water Hamilton, in the presence of Union Urban use of technological advances in water Resources, Government of India on the Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu; management” emphasized the need to theme ‘Water Management for Sustainable Minister of Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh; understand the elements of basic hydrological Development’ from 13-17 January 2015 at Minister of State for Water Resources Prof. cycle while undertaking modernization Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, India. The Water Sanwar Lal Jat; and Minister of State for of irrigation projects. India Water Week, Week, third in the series was inaugurated by Environment Prakash Javadekar. During his visit to Central Office President Integrated Library Management Nairizi held a meeting with professionals System (ILMS), and Multilingual and staff and discussed various issues like Technical Dictionary (MTD) strengthening ICID membership network, etc. President Dr. Nairizi took supporting workbodies in achieving their stock of various capacity mandate, cooperation with international development initiatives such partners, efficient management of financial as e-learning, support to young resources, and progress on new initiatives professionals by sponsoring were discussed in detail. President Dr. Nairizi online courses on Integrated appreciated the dedicated services of the Management of Water, Soil Central Office staff and appreciated the way and Waste being conducted by they are handling the new initiatives, such the United Nations University and staff, Secretary General Avinash Tyagi as, ICID Vision 2030, Virtual meetings of Institute for the Integrated Management assured President Dr. Narizi his full support the workbodies, Knowledge Management, of Material Fluxes and Resources organized and dedication to achieve the new initiatives Register of Heritage Irrigation Structures (HIS), by UNU-FLORES. On behalf of professionals and further pursuing the objectives of ICID. President Dr. Nairizi, along with Secretary the-art technology in agriculture General Er. Avinash Tyagi and Director in India, with a futuristic Dr. Vijay K. Labhsetwar, visited Indian projection. For further details Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Pusa, and reader may visit <http://icar. Water Technology Centre (WTC) New Delhi org.in/en/node/306>. where they were welcomed by Dr. (Mrs.) President Dr. Nairizi hosted Ravinder Kaur, Director, IARI and Project a dinner for invited guests, Director of WTC. The delegation visited the which includes: Prof. pilot project on Eco-friendly waste water Dr. Doğan ALTINBİLEK, Vice treatment and reuse, which was covered in President, World Water ICID News 2014 (Fourth Quarter). Dr Nairizi Council (WWC); Vice expressed his keen interest in gathering more President A.B. Pandya; information on the rainwater harvesting irrigation system and packaging cum training Vice President Hon. A.K. Bajaj; structure for small holder farmers. Dr. Kaur hall <http://iari.res.in/?option=com_con Mr. Masood Husain, Director General, briefed the delegation on various activities of tent&view=article&id=372&Itemid=975>. National Water Development Agency (NWDA); Center for Protected Cultivation Technology Dr Nairizi expressed his interest in more Dr. (Mrs.) Ravinder Kaur, Project Director, (CPCT) where various technologies of Green information on the water productivity vis Water Technology Center, Indian Agricultural House cultivations were being practiced. a vis the economic productivity in various Research Institute (IARI); Mr. V.K. Kanjlia, CPCT established in 1999, over the years, technologic combinations. Secretary, Central Board of Irrigation and the center has progressed considerably and Power (CBIP); Secretary General Avinash diversified into the various kinds of protected President Dr. Nairizi also took this opportunity C. Tyagi and professionals from Central structures and production technologies of to visit the National Agricultural Science Office. President Dr. Nairizi and Secretary several crops including