Kusum program to help install 1.75 million solar pumps, solarize 1 million water pumps: India 
21 Feb, 2019 
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) and will provide $4.69 billion in central financial support. The objective of the program is to give financial and water security to farmers. The program has been divided into three components and aims to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022. 
https://mercomindia.com/kusum-1-75-mn-solar-pumps-solarize-1-mn-water-pumps/ 

Only nine crops account for two-thirds of global food output, finds FAO report 
22 Feb, 2019 
As few as nine crops account for two-thirds of the global food output, and on-farm crop diversity has declined significantly over the decades as farmers have switched from traditional production systems that utilise farmers’ varieties and landraces to modern production systems depending on officially released varieties, shows a report on global biodiversity of food and agriculture. 
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/nine-crops-account-for-two-thirds-of-food-output-says-fao-report-on-agri biodiversity/article26339372.ece 

Australian nanosatellites will let farmers track water levels on smartphones 
22 Feb, 2019 
Australia-based tech startup, Myriota, has announced its small satellites will provide farmers with real-time information on their water supplies. The technology will allow farmers in Australia’s outback to monitor water use and supply from their mobile phones, the company says. 
https://www.springwise.com/australian-nanosatellites-will-let-farmers-track-water-levels-on-smartphones/ 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          [Top] 

[[ CLIMATE CHANGE ]] 







Warming world to bring more thunderstorms, worsen air quality: MIT Study 
22  Feb , 2019 
Climate change is altering summer weather systems in a way that could mean more lingering pollution, stronger thunderstorms and longer heat waves, a new MIT study says. Using temperature and humidity data going back to 1979, the study found global warming is shifting energy in the atmosphere away from extratropical cyclones, the huge weather systems that circulate across thousands of miles, bringing summertime wind and rains, according to a news release about the study. 
https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2019-02-21-warming-world-to-bring-more-storms-and-stagnant-air-study-says-copy 

In Odisha, women are on the front line of the battle against climate change: India 
19 Feb, 2019 
As climate change makes life harder, women of Sitalpur in Bhadrak, along Odisha’s northeastern cost are now raising their voices through a women’s federation, where they share the impact of weather-related disasters on their livelihoods and discuss solutions. As these federations grow in size and influence, the women involved have started demanding accountability from local officials in the form of incremental change. 
https://scroll.in/article/912703/in-odisha-women-are-on-the-front-line-of-the-battle-against-climate-change 

Global warming threatens clouds that deter hothouse Earth conditions 
25 Jan, 2019 
Marine clouds that protect us from hothouse Earth conditions by reflecting sunlight back into space could break up and vanish if CO2 in the atmosphere triples, researchers warned. So-called stratocumulus clouds cover about 20 percent of subtropical oceans, mostly near western seaboards such as the coasts of California, Mexico and Peru. 
https://www.ndtv.com/science/global-warming-threatens-clouds-that-deter-hothouse-earth-conditions-1999212 

  [Top]

[[ DROUGHTS ]] 

U.N seeks $234 mln in aid for drought-hit Zimbabwe 
28 Feb, 2019 
The United Nations launched an international appeal for aid for Zimbabwe following a drought that it expects to affect around a third of the population as crop yields plummet. Seasonal rains have been patchy at best, hitting the harvest of the staple maize crop and deepening an economic crisis marked by an acute dollar crunch that has already led to shortages of medicines, fuel and food. 
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2019-02-28/un-seeks-234-million-in-aid-for-drought-hit-zimbabwe 

Australian wheat production falls to 11-year low as drought bites 
18 Feb, 2018 
Australia’s wheat production fell to an 11-year low during the 2018/19 season, the country’s chief commodity forecaster said, after an east coast drought wilted crops in the world’s No. 4 exporter. The shortfall in Australian production came after a crippling drought across New South Wales and Queensland, two major grain producing states. 
https://www.reuters.com/article/australia-wheat/australian-wheat-production-falls-to-11-year-low-as-drought-bites-idUSL3N20D1U5 

[Top]     

[[ FLOODS ]] 






California floods damage thousands of buildings 
1 Mar, 2019 
A rain-swollen river in Northern California has flooded about 2,000 homes and businesses along a valley famous for its wineries and left residents of one town stranded by high waters. Water rose to the roofs of homes and submerged cars as the Russian River overflowed its banks, forcing authorities in Sonoma County, about 110 km north of San Francisco, to order the evacuation of 3,600 people, local authorities said. 
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/02/california-floods-damage-thousands-of-buildings.html 

Flash floods swamp streets in Jordan's Amman 
28 Feb, 2019 
Jordanian authorities battled heavy flooding, building collapses and blocked roads, caused by what the kingdom's meteorological department said were the heaviest rains of this winter season. Several universities including the University of Jordan and dozens of schools across the country remained shut or sent students home early ahead of expected floods and evening snowfall. 
https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/jordan-braces-for-flood-chaos-after-heaviest-rains-of-the-winter-1.831697 

[Top]   

[[ FOOD SECURITY ]] 
 





World's food supply under 'severe threat' from loss of biodiversity 
21 Feb, 2019 
The world’s capacity to produce food is being undermined by humanity’s failure to protect biodiversity, according to the first UN study of the plants, animals and micro-organisms that help to put meals on our plates. The stark warning was issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation after scientists found evidence the natural support systems that underpin the human diet are deteriorating around the world as farms, cities and factories gobble up land and pump out chemicals. 
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/feb/21/worlds-food-supply-under-severe-threat-from-loss-of-biodiversity 

Conflict to blame for extreme hunger in South Sudan 
27 Feb, 2019 
As the food crisis worsens across South Sudan, the Norwegian Refugee Council is calling on all parties to the conflict to allow humanitarian agencies to safely access people in desperate need of aid. Around 6.4 million people are currently at risk of hunger according to a recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report into the escalating food crisis in South Sudan. Out of those, an estimated 1.6 million people are already facing extreme hunger. 
https://www.nrc.no/news/2019/february/conflict-to-blame-for-extreme-hunger-in-south-sudan/ 

  [Top]     

[[ IRRIGATION ]] 






Tribal farmers earning lakhs through drip irrigation: India 
22 Feb, 2019 
Tribal farmers in 68 villages of Harichandanpur block, who were dependent highly on monsoon and harvested just one crop in a year, have used drip irrigation to reap benefits of crops for commercial purposes. No electricity nor pucca houses are there in the tribal village of Tangiriapal in Kendujhar district of Odisha state but the technique of drip irrigation has reached the small farmers for big benefits. 
https://krishijagran.com/news/tribal-farmers-earning-lakhs-through-drip-irrigation/ 

UNL at forefront of innovation in irrigation, conservation 
24 Feb, 2019 
Today, with more than 100,000 registered irrigation wells in the state, Nebraska irrigates 8.6 million acres, the most in the nation. Deploying the latest technology and strategies, initiatives like the Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network have helped Nebraska farmers save more than 326 billion gallons of water and more than $50 million in fuel costs since 2005. 
https://www.omaha.com/sponsored/unl-150/unl-at-forefront-of-innovation-in-irrigation-conservation/article_fd42b323-1a98-5eaa-8a9d-3518774a8dbe.html 

[Top]    

[[ WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ]] 







New rules to promote water reuse in farming 
12 Feb, 2019 
Population growth, urbanisation and tourism have all contributed to the water shortages and droughts that are increasingly affecting many areas of Europe, especially the Mediterranean region. Water sources are under stress and the situation is expected to get worse because of climate change. According to an estimate, by 2030 half of Europe’s river basins could be affected by water scarcity. In order to secure Europe’s freshwater supplies for the years to come, MEPs voted in favour of a proposal for the reuse of wastewater. 
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20190206STO25114/new-rules-to-promote-water-reuse-in-farming 

EU supports implementation of Zarafshon Irrigation Rehabilitation and River Basin Management Project with an additional 10 MEUR 
21 Feb, 2019 
In February 2019, the European Union contributed with an additional 10 Million EUR to the Single-Donor Trust Fund which it is jointly implementing with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), for the rehabilitation of the water management and irrigation systems in the Zarafshon river basin area. The beneficiaries of the project are Water Users Associations, dehkan farms and rural households, the Agency on Land Reclamation and Irrigation, as well as the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources. 
https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tajikistan/58496/european-union-supports-implementation-zarafshon-irrigation-rehabilitation-and-river-basin_en 

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4th Water Sensitive Cities Conference 2019: Delivering the transition to water sensitive cities- approaches, activities and achievements, 26-28 March 2019, Brisbane 
Website: https://watersensitivecities.org.au/content/wsc-conference-2019/ 

Water for Food Global Conference 2019, 29-30 April 2019, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA  
Theme: Water for a Hungry World: Innovation in Water and Food Security 
Website:  https://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/explore-our-conferences 

2019 Floodplain Management Australia National Conference, 14-17 May 2019, Canberra, Australia 
Website:  https://floodplainconference.com/ 

ISMAR 10: International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge, 20-24 May 2019, Madrid, Spain 
Website:  http://ismar10.net 

3rd World Irrigation Forum (WIF3) and 70th International Executive Council Meeting, 1-7 September 2019, Bali, Indonesia   
Theme: Development for water, food and nutrition security in a competitive environment 
Website:  https://icid2019.com/ 

5th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage (ARCID), 16-19 March 2020, Marrakech, Morocco   
Theme: Sustainable Management of irrigation for improved resilience of agriculture in Africa 
Website:  http://5arcid.ma/ 

MinWat 2020: 3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Mineral Waters: Genesis, Exploitation, Protection, and Valorisation, 31 March-3
April 2020, Caserta, Italy 
Website:  https://iah.org/events/minwat-2020 

24th ICID International Congress & 71st IEC Meeting, 22-24 September 2020, Sydney, Australia 
Website:  http://www.icid2020.com.au 

[Top]

  LATEST PUBLICATION(s) 
                               

Beyond Crop per Drop: Assessing Agricultural Water Productivity and Efficiency in a Maturing Water Economy | Published: 2018-06-26; Author(s) Scheierling, Susanne M. and Tréguer, David O. 

With growing water scarcity in many parts of the world and projections that indicate the need to increase agricultural production and, concurrently, agricultural water use, it is increasingly advocated to focus efforts on improving agricultural water productivity and efficiency—and thus achieve more crop per drop. Many international organizations concerned with water management are also promoting these efforts, and significant public and private investments are being made in both developed and developing countries. Yet some serious problems are associated with this approach. The report aims to shed further light on these issues: first, by clarifying some of the underlying concepts in the discussion of agricultural water productivity and efficiency; second, by reviewing and analyzing the available methods for assessing water productivity and efficiency, including single-factor productivity measures, total factor productivity indices, frontier methods, and deductive methods; and, third, by discussing their application a relevance in different contexts. The book has been released as an Open Access and can be downloaded @  https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/29922