Webinar by Prof. em. Bart Shultz
In the first of a series of webinars to be presented by ICID, Prof. em. Bart Shultz, will speak on the ‘Role of Safety Standards and Land Subsidence in Sustainable Development and Management of Flood Prone Areas on Tuesday, 19 May 2020, from 02:30 to 03:30 (Indian Standard Time). Prof. Shultz is Land and Water Development IHE-Delft, Former Top Advisor Rijkswaterstaat, The Netherlands and President Hon. ICID.


ICID Watsave Awards and Recognition of World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS)
WatSave Awards: For details, please visit: https://www.icid.org/awards_ws.html
WHIS Recognition: For details regarding nomination and criterion for the recognition, please visit: http://www.icid.org/awards_icid.html
From this year onwards, ONLY ONLINE NOMINATION FORM SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED at  https://icidevents.org/awards
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 31 July 2020. 
For queries, please contact Dr. Sahdev Singh, Director (Knowledge Management) at icid@icid.org

Mode of Application

As informed, the nominations for the awards were to be accepted only via online submissions. However, given the technical limitations imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are accepting the nominations via email as well.

If possible, we encourage you to submit your applications online. In case you face any difficulty, kindly inform us at icid@icid.org

Kindly email us your applications with all relevant documents at icid@icid.org

ICID's Important Events Postponed
The 24th ICID Congress and 72nd IEC Meeting: The 24th ICID Congress has been rescheduled to 6-12 July 2021 in Sydney, Australia, on the recommendation of Irrigation Australia Ltd., & Irrigation Australia's Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (IACID) because of COVID-19. The 72nd IEC will be held with the Sydney Congress in July 2021 instead of 71st IEC. For more information, please contact: Mr. Bryan Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Irrigation's Australia Limited (IAL) (Incorporating IACID); Email: bryan.ward@irrigation.org.au, info@irrigation.org.au; Website: https://www.icid2020.com.au/

The 71st IEC Meeting and the 5th ARC: The 71st International Executive Council (IEC) Meeting will be held along with the 5th African Regional Conference (ARC) and the Young Professional's Training Program (YP-TP) in 2020. Tentatively, the 5th ARC and 71st IEC as decided in consultation with the Moroccan National Committee (ANAFIDE) are to be held in the first week of December 2020. Further updates will follow upon receipt of definitive information. 

The 10th International Micro Irrigation Conference (10MIC): 10th International Micro Irrigation Conference (10MIC) in Agadir, Morocco, will be a standalone event in 2021. Dates to be announced later

EU, FAO, Ministry of Agriculture unlock 3.2 million GEL in funding to assist farmers during coronavirus crisis in Georgia
15 May 2020
Farmers in 22 municipalities of Georgia will have the opportunity to obtain co-financing under a 3.2 million GEL (about $1m/€0.92m) grant program offered by the European Union (EU), the Agriculture Ministry of Georgia and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the purchase and installation of modern drip irrigation systems.
https://agenda.ge/en/news/2020/1529
 

Russia: Strategy for Development of Agriculture and Fisheries Through 2030
14 May 2020
The Russian Government has adopted a Strategy for Development of the Agribusiness and Fishery Sectors of the Russian Federation through 2030. The document defines key objectives and economic policy measures to facilitate positive structural changes in the Russian agriculture, fisheries and rural development in the next ten years.
https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/russia-strategy-development-agriculture-and-fisheries-through-2030
 

Strengthening Agriculture and Food Security in Senegal in the Face of the COVID-19 Crisis
12 May 2020
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$150 million IDA credit to support Senegal in strengthening agricultural productivity and helping build resilient, climate-smart and competitive food systems.
https://reliefweb.int/report/senegal/strengthening-agriculture-and-food-security-senegal-face-covid-19-crisis
 

[Top] 

CLIMATE CHANGE 







Climate change is as big of a threat as COVID-19
16 May 2020
Both climate change and COVID-19 are horrible crises that everyone should worry about, but right now the world is focusing on what they both do to the economy.
https://www.vicnews.com/opinion/letter-climate-change-is-as-big-of-a-threat-as-covid-19/
 

New study highlights shea’s potential to mitigate effect of climate change
16 May 2020
The Global Shea Alliance (GSA) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO Regional Office for Africa), have released a study which underscores the shea tree’s potential to mitigate climate change in West Africa.
https://www.myjoyonline.com/news/national/new-study-highlights-sheas-potential-to-mitigate-effect-of-climate-change/
 

German economy at risk from climate change impacts abroad
15 May 2020
The effects of climate change outside of Europe pose a much larger risk to Germany's economy than its impacts within Europe because of international trade networks, says a report by the German Environment Agency (UBA).
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/german-economy-risk-climate-change-impacts-abroad-study

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DROUGHTS 







Extreme drought expands in southern Colorado
17 May 2020
Just one week after extreme drought returned to Colorado, the impacted area has expanded in the southern portion of the state according to the United States Drought Monitor. The second worst category of drought had left the state in March 2019 before making its return this month.
https://kiowacountypress.net/content/extreme-drought-expands-southern-colorado

 

Drought warning as Cape Town dam levels decline
16 May 2020
CAPE Town’s dam levels have declined by 0.6%, according to readings from earlier this month. This was recorded over the week from May 4-10 and resulted in 54.3% of total dam level capacity. Water consumption for the period increased to 676 million litres per day.
https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/drought-warning-as-cape-town-dam-levels-decline-48011106
 

Auckland drought: Unprecedented water restrictions begin
16 May 2020
Days of rain showers have done little to halt the draining of the city's storage lakes, which sit at just 44.5 per cent full - more than 30 per cent below their usual levels. The cause is simple, rainfall has been below average since a dry 2019, and worsened with January to May being the driest on record.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/121518831/auckland-drought-unprecedented-water-restrictions-begin

[Top] 

 FLOODS






Record rainfall reaches Twin Lakes Area, causes flooding concerns
17 May 2020
At KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot, the offical reporting stations for the National Weather Service in Mountain Home, a total of 3.95 inches of rain fell between 7 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday.
https://www.ktlo.com/2020/05/17/record-rainfall-reaches-twin-lakes-area-causes-flooding-concerns/
 

Kazakhstan: Floods - Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) DREF Operation n° MDRKZ009
14 May 2020
On 1 May 2020, pouring rains and strong wind caused a dam burst of Sardoba reservoir in Uzbekistan that resulted in a critical increase in the level of water in water collectors and flooding in Makhtaaral district of Turkestan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan on 2 May.
https://reliefweb.int/report/kazakhstan/kazakhstan-floods-emergency-plan-action-epoa-dref-operation-n-mdrkz009
 

More than 280,000 displaced by floods in Somalia: UN office
14 May 2020
24 people have been killed and more than 283,000 others have been displaced by floods in Somalia, according to figures released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Somalia. The figures also indicated that 28 districts and more than 701,000 people in the Horn of Africa nation have been affected by the floods.
https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/05/14/24-killed-more-than-280000-displaced-by-floods-in-somalia-un-office/
 

FOOD SECURITY 







How to address food security in Nigeria amidst COVID-19
17 May 2020
In Nigeria, some of the people who will feel the effects the most are those living in rural communities, particularly farmers relying on external funding to grow and support their farms.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/agriculture/agric-news/393225-how-to-address-food-security-in-nigeria-amidst-covid-19.html
 

Loop's top 10 tips on how to be food secure
16 May 2020
Here's my hot 10 countdown list below on what you can do as an individual to be food secure and protect your country's food security:
Grow as much food in your back/ side/ front yard as possible or even on your rooftop. This will help you move one step closer to household food security.
https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/alpha-sennons-hot-10-countdown-list-how-be-food-secure-1
 

Is Technological Innovation in Agriculture Enough to Secure Food Security in Ghana?
14 May 2020
Innovation in agricultural technology is instrumental in achieving broad-based social and economic growth in developing countries. In Ghana and the wider region, the sector employs more people than any other industry.
https://technovagh.com/2020/05/13/is-technological-innovation-in-agriculture-enough-to-secure-food-security-in-ghana/ 

IRRIGATION





Center pivot safety an essential part of farming
14 May 2020
Center pivots have revolutionized irrigation, greatly increasing water application efficiency and have become a way of life on many irrigated farms. Pivots, like every machine on the farm, have several potential hazards, making it important to review safety procedures each year with every person on the farm.
https://norfolkdailynews.com/agriculture/center-pivot-safety-an-essential-part-of-farming/article_aa7a3b66-9611-11ea-8f63-67320312d918.html
 

The Irrigation Innovation Consortium is bringing the future of irrigation to us
13 May 2020
DWFI is a partner in the Irrigation Innovation Consortium, a group of five university partners and eight founding industry partners formed in 2018. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funds the consortium with the goal of “advancing irrigation automation, remote sensing, data management and decision support, modernization, and management to enhance energy and water use efficiency in irrigated food systems and amenity landscapes across the globe.”
https://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/news-and-events/news/2020/05/the-irrigation-innovation-consortium-is-bringing-the-future-of-irrigation-to-us
 

Modeling, Mobile Drip Could Help Save Ogallala Aquifer
13 May 2020
Two interesting developments could help play a role in saving the Ogallala aquifer, an underground water resource that helps drive a $35 billion ag economy in the Great Plains region. Winter wheat is being studied under different irrigation and fertilizer amounts, and the USDA says results show farmers may be able to use half the amount of water that they usually need to effectively irrigate their wheat crops.
https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/blogs/1-covering-no-till/post/9697-modeling-mobile-drip-could-help-save-ogallala-aquifer


 

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 







Water wars over paradigms
14 May 2020
The ongoing “water wars” is presently a war over two paradigms — namely the colonial engineering paradigm that is visibly reductionist, and the emerging paradigm of integrated water governance that talks of a holistic approach. The deluge of discussions on COVID-19 with its political-economic fallouts has engulfed the spaces in the media to such an extent that a silent war waged in the water sector in India has been going unnoticed.
https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/water-wars-over-paradigms-66120/
 

Climate change may lead to water shortages for 1.3 billion dependent on water melt from Himalayas
12 May 2020
Water shortages may loom in the future of 1.3 billion people living downstream from the Himalayas in Nepal, due to climate change, says new research from Ball State University.
https://www.bsu.edu/news/press-center/archives/2020/5/water-shortages-loom-for-1-3-billion-people
 

Age of data driven leak management dawns
11 May 2020
Global water resources are finite and stretched and the application of advanced leakage management technologies is one way to ensure supply and demand balances are met. Various drivers mean interest in the application of real-time data analysis has quickly gone from it being ‘quite a nice idea’ to ‘we need to do this, we need to do it now’.
https://wwtonline.co.uk/news/-age-of-data-driven-leak-management-dawns

[Top]

Workshop on Effective Ways of Cooperation with Other Specialist Groups Dealing with the Evolution of Water Culture and History at the Hellenic Open University
Hellenic Open University in Patras, Greece, is organizing a one-day workshop on 06 September 2020 in the University.

The key theme of this workshop will be to look for effective ways of cooperation with other Specialist Groups dealing with the Evolution of Water Culture and History.
Website: http://wwetc2020.eap.gr/

6th IWA International Symposium on Water, Wastewater and Environment in Ancient Civilizations: Traditions and Cultures 8-10 September 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 (8 & 9 September) and in the Conference Hall of the Theological School of Halki in the island of Heybeliada, Istanbul, Turkey (10 September).
https://iwa-network.org/events/iwa-regional-symposium-on-water-wastewater-and-environment-traditions-and-cultures/

MinWat 2020 3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Mineral Waters: Genesis, Exploitation, Protection, and Valorisation. Postponed, owing to the international health situation concerning the epidemy of COVID-19, from May 2020, to 11-15 October 2020. For more details, please visit: https://iah.org/events/minwat-2020; Email: segratario@iahitaly.it
 

[Top]

Water–energy–food nexus
With a view to drawing attention to the interrelated nature of global resource systems, FAO is exploring how the water–energy–food nexus can support food security and sustainable agriculture worldwide. Population growth, rapid urbanization, changing diets and economic development are just some of the factors driving increased demand for water, energy and food. Agriculture is the largest consumer of the world's freshwater resources, and more than one-quarter of the energy used globally is expended on food production and supply. Feeding a global population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050 will require a 60 percent increase in food production.
http://www.fao.org/land-water/water/watergovernance/waterfoodenergynexus/en/

 

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