24th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage and 71st International Executive Council (IEC) Meetings will be organized by Irrigation Australia’s Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (IACID) in co-operation with ICID during 22-28 September 2020 at Sydney, Australia. The main theme of the Congress is ‘Innovation and Research in Agricultural Water Management to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals’.

The deadline for receipt of the entries for WatSave awards and WHIS from the National Committees along with the completed ‘Nomination Form’ and related details to the ICID Central Office, New Delhi (India) is 30th June 2020.
For queries, please contact Dr. Sahdev Singh, Director (Knowledge Management) at icid@icid.org

Robotic farming moving to larger scale
25 January 2020
“In my mind, it’s not a question of whether or not robots will show up on your farm, it’s just when they will. Because they will,” Saik, a Canadian ag futurist and crop consultant, said at a recent conference here. The technology has until recently been mostly limited to small farms and specialty crops. But large-scale grain production represents a huge, untapped market. A combination of advancing technology and lower costs will lead to a much different look in the fields of the future, Saik said.
https://wcfcourier.com/agriculture/robotic-farming-moving-to-larger-scale/article_99f0e5e4-affc-516d-8986-af2b62c558b5.html
 

Leave nothing to waste in agriculture: Spain’s race to top circular economy
23 January 2020
The agri-food sector is aiming to become a leader in the circular economy, in which every kind of waste, from crop to industrial waste, can have an added value and help improve economic, environmental and social sustainability. EURACTIV’s partner EFEAGRO reports.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/leave-nothing-to-waste-in-agriculture-spains-race-to-top-circular-economy/
 

[Top] 

CLIMATE CHANGE 








Inequality makes climate crisis much harder to tackle
26 January 2020
The World Economic Forum came at the start of the year that will culminate in a much more important event; the UN climate change summit (COP26) in Glasgow. It was hard to move in Davos without hearing the phrase “race against time”.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jan/26/inequality-climate-crisis-harder-tackle-poor-sacrifice-davos
 

Four graphs that suggest we can’t blame climate change on solar activity
24 January 2020
The past decade (2010-2019) was the hottest on record and five of the top 10 warmest single years have all occurred since 2015, according to reports released by the UK Met Office and the World Meteorological Organization.
http://theconversation.com/four-graphs-that-suggest-we-cant-blame-climate-change-on-solar-activity-130154
 

Education Is Crucial to Tackle the Climate Crisis
24 January 2020
Today, the International Day of Education, is an opportunity to reflect on the central and critical role of education in the international response to climate change. Important work on climate education is taken forward under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Climate Change Agreement under the banner of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE).
https://unfccc.int/news/education-is-crucial-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis

[Top] 

DROUGHTS 







Conversation has changed in Australia since fires and drought
26 January 2020
"If I look back at our recent history, I cannot recall a series of events that have impacted on so many Australians," Mr O'Connell said of the bushfires and drought that have swept the nation.
https://www.cowraguardian.com.au/story/6598781/conversation-has-changed-in-australia-since-fires-and-drought-says-australia-day-guest/
 

Drought ups risks for Panama Canal
23 January 2020
Panama Canal authority ACP will launch more temporary measures to reduce vessel transit and increase fees to pass through the waterway. The agricultural and applied economics expert wrote an extensive report for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on the waterway’s descending levels and its consequences in 2017.
https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/drought-ups-risks-for-panama-canal
 

Expelled by drought: farmland becomes barren in Somalia
22 January 2020
For a large number of people, the consequences of global warming are not a possibility, but they are already a reality. In Somalia, drought has forced more than 2.5 million people to leave their homes as their farmland becomes sterile.
https://upnewsinfo.com/2020/01/22/expelled-by-drought-farmland-becomes-barren-in-somalia-somalia-news/

[Top] 

 FLOODS






Intensity of floods, storms can double
24 January 2020
The rate at which carbon dioxide is being accumulated and emitted in the atmosphere can double the intensity of climate disasters within 21 years, according to a study. The study describes how the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) accumulation and its associated changes in climatic patterns contribute to the increased frequency of these disasters. The study published in Climate, Disaster and Development journal used climate data from 155 countries from 1970 to 2016.
https://www.wionews.com/world/increasing-carbon-emissions-can-double-climate-disasters-in-21-years-study-276406
 

Research results build the case for integrating wetlands into flood-risk management
23 January 2020
Research commissioned by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has found that the natural flood-management services of wetlands are a cost-effective complement to traditional infrastructure built to protect communities from flooding.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/research-results-build-case-integrating-155512056.html
 

'Severe Storms' Cause Flash Flooding In Australia
19 January 2020
'We did have an emergency warning for that rainfall because we had some reports of flash flooding in some locations and in some locations, it was a one-in-100-year event.' 'Severe storms' have caused flash flooding in Australia, as the country continues to struggle with 'catastrophic' fires.
https://www.plantbasednews.org/news/severe-storms-cause-flash-flooding-in-australia

 

[Top]

FOOD SECURITY 








Japan 2030: Tackling climate issues is key to the next decade
26 January 2020
Japan has set ambitious targets in a bid to slow the impact of climate change. Is it on the right track?
Speaking at a news conference in December just before a key United Nations conference on climate change, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “our war against nature must stop.”
https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-2030/

More rains in Namibia after lengthy dry spell
25 January 2020
Parts of Namibia continued to receive rainfall on Saturday after a lengthy drought affected agricultural production in the Southern African country. In recent days, central parts of the country experienced medium rainfall, much to the amusement of residents. The drought in Namibia was reported to be the country’s worst in 90 years, and was attributed to climate change.
https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/01/25/rains-continue-in-namibia-after-lengthy-dry-spell/
 

UAE- Growing own food in a sustainable way
24 January 2020
As the UAE is striving to achieve and sustain the highest levels of national food security, there is a transformation taking place across the country's agricultural sector. Since agriculture often places a significant pressure on natural resources and the environment, the UAE is developing sustainable and integrated food security systems that employ latest technologies to innovate solutions to the challenges of securing food sources.
https://menafn.com/1099599926/UAE-Growing-own-food-in-a-sustainable-way

 

[Top]

IRRIGATION






Egypt should focus on ensuring maximum water security in GERD deal
26 January 2020
Ahead of the upcoming round of talks in Washington to secure an agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which has stirred months of disputes and an impasse in negotiations between Cairo and Addis Ababa, water experts and analysts agree that Egypt should stick to its demands on maintaining the maximum possible level of water security.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/362293/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-should-focus-on-ensuring-maximum-water-secur.aspx
 

About 500 places identified for groundwater management projects in Manipur
25 January 2020
About 500 places have been identified for groundwater management projects in Manipur and for which project cost amounting to INR 275 crore has been submitted to the ministry. Stressing on the importance of proper irrigation facilities to increase food grain production, the chief minister said Thoubal Multipurpose Project will be completed soon and it will provide irrigation facility to different areas of the state.
https://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/about-500-places-identified-for-groundwater-management-projects-in-manipur/
 

Global Water Supply and Irrigation Systems Market Projected to Witness Robust Development by 2020 – 2025
25 January 2020
According to a recent analysis, Global Water Supply and Irrigation Systems market report provides in-depth unique Insights with Size, Share, Trends, Scope, Growth, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Distributors, Traders, Customers, Investors and Major Types as well as Applications and Forecast Period (2020 – 2025). The report covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of key vendors and business strategy adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis, revenue, sales, and tactical decision-making.
http://neptunepine.com/water-supply-and-irrigation-systems-market/ 

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 







Government urges industries to adopt small rivers and rejuvenate them
24 January 2020
NEW DELHI: Underlining the role the corporate sector could play in water management, water resources secretary UP Singh on Friday said industry (private or public sector) could adopt small rivers and work to rejuvenate them.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/government-urges-industries-to-adopt-small-rivers-and-rejuvenate-them/articleshow/73593927.cms
 

Incompetence, unwise decision making responsible for river crisis: Speakers
24 January 2020
Urging the policymakers and activists to work collaboratively to ensure river rights, speakers on Friday blamed unwise decisions by stakeholders for the poor condition of rivers flowing through Bangladesh. They were speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the three-day 5th International Water Conference 2020 arranged by ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB) at Hotel Graver Inn of Kuakata in Patuakhali.
http://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/incompetence-unwise-decision-making-responsible-for-river-crisis-speakers/42281

 

National water-saving campaign gaining momentum as water crisis looms in S. Africa
24 January 2020
A national water-saving campaign is gaining momentum as a water crisis looms in South Africa. The drought conditions experienced by South Africa is the worst in many decades, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said as she launched the campaign recently.
http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2020-01/24/content_75645107.htm

[Top]

Roorkee Water Conclave: Roorkee, India 26-28 February 2020 The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and National Institute of Hydrology Roorkee will jointly organize regular international conference every 2 years in the area of various facets of water to be known as Roorkee Water Conclave. Keeping in view the importance of the potential impact of climate change on the water sector, the first edition of the Roorkee Water Conclave will be on the theme “Hydrological Aspects of Climate Change” and it will be held at IIT Roorkee during 26-28 February 2020. Contact: Organizing Committee, Roorkee Water Conclave, Department of Water Resources Development & Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee-247 667, Uttarakhand, India. Phone: +91-1332-285872/ 284755/ 249229/ 249244; E-mail: info.rwc@iitr.ac.in info.rwc2020@gmail.com Website: http://www.iitr.ac.in/rwc2020/

Water Pollution 2020: 15th International Conference on Monitoring, Modelling and Management of Water Pollution, 13-15 May 2020, Valencia, Spain. For more details, please visit: https://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2020-conferences/water-pollution-2020; Email: wit@wessex.ac.uk

MinWat 2020: 3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Mineral Waters: Genesis, Exploitation, Protection and Valorisation, 31 March-3 April 2020, Caserta, Italy. For more details, please visit: https://iah.org/events/minwat-2020; Email: segratario@iahitaly.it

6th IWA International Symposium on Water, Wastewater and Environment in Ancient Civilizations: Traditions and Cultures
28-30 April 2020
the 6th IWA International Symposium which will be Co-organized by the Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey and the Hellenic Open University, Patra, Greece. It will take place at the Bogazici University (28 & 29 April) and in the Conference Hall of the Theological School of Halki in the island of Heybeliada, Istanbul, Turkey (30 April).
https://iwa-network.org/events/iwa-regional-symposium-on-water-wastewater-and-environment-traditions-and-cultures/
 

[Top]

 Irrigation and Drainage (ICID Journal No.68.4)

The latest issue of ICID Journal, Irrigation and Drainage (No.68.4) published in December 2019 is now available online free via Wiley online library for all ICID office bearers, work body members and subscribers. Papers are available in easy to read PDF format. The journal provides access to the full text of all articles published in Irrigation and Drainage since 2001, as well as Tables of Contents and Abstracts.
Early View service provides papers online as soon as they have been accepted for publication, which can be several months earlier than the papers published in print. Sign up for FREE Wiley Alerts – receive the table of contents via email as soon as an issue is published online:

For 2019 Wiley has provided each ICID office bearer, work body member and subscriber a membership registration number. Your e-mail address is your user nam and you can choose your own password.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1531-0361


Community and Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Tropics – A Journey of Innovation

‘Community and Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Tropics – A Journey of Innovation’ is an anthology containing 12 chapters on the theme contributed by renowned scholars. The book has been edited by S.P. Wani and K.V. Raju. This is a ‘Springer’ publication. The book is available in e-book as well as hard cover formats. The price of the hard cover edition is 114.39 Euros. This book presents innovative research into rain-fed agricultural processes and demonstrates effective community participatory mechanisms. It also addresses issues to improve livelihoods of dryland farmers in Semi-Arid Tropics.
This book focuses on developing an integrated holistic approach for harnessing the potential of rain-fed agriculture. In this approach, rainwater management through harvesting and recharging the groundwater is used as an entry point activity for increasing the productivity for farmers through enhanced water use efficiency. To provide the holistic and integrated solutions, the approach of consortium through building partnerships with different stakeholders, eg. different research institutions (State, National and International), development departments, eg. Department of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry etc., Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Farmers Organizations Community-based Organizations (CBOs) along with market linkages through private companies.
https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030299170