Further steps in ICID's march towards its goal of sustainable irrigated agriculture

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 27 KB
• Volume: 50
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1531-0353
• DOI: 10.1002/ird.6

✦ Synopsis

In its Golden Jubilee Year in 2000, ICID took further steps in focussing the attention of its member countries in ensuring food security for people and rural development through sustainable water resources development. The World Water Council organized its Second World Water Forum (WWF) at The Hague, in March 2000, and presented a 'Long Term Vision for Water, Life and Environment'. Three major sector visions were developed for the Forum: Water for People; Water and Nature; and Water for Food and Rural Development. ICID decided to participate in the sector vision on Water for Food and Rural Development in association with other organizations. A Task Force was established to develop the sector vision by developing national level documents and consultations at country level, followed by regional consultations. Country vision papers from 43 countries were compiled by Central Office and released by President Bart Schultz at The Hague. The ICID strategy for implementation of issues of concern after the 2nd WWF mainly comprises the following: Dissemination of the country position papers after improving them. Actions to bridge the gaps. Identification of the role of ICID, individually or jointly, with other Associations. Organization of workshops, conferences and congresses on selected topics from amongst identified thrust areas. Helping the mobilization of funding for implementation. Deriving a mechanism to monitor and evaluate actions.

The strategy document was adopted by the IEC of ICID at its Cape Town meeting in October, 2000.

The Golden Jubilee Year (1999 -2000) of ICID witnessed a series of lively dialogues at Central Office on current issues related to water management, amongst the community of water-related organizations through bimonthly technical meetings. National Committees of ICID organized several technical activities during this period. A CD-ROM was released in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee Year. This CD presents information on ICID activities and milestones since its formation in 1950.

3. ICID developed a Position

Paper on the importance and necessity of dams for socio-economic development and food security. The published version of the Paper was disseminated at the 2nd WWF at The Hague. 4. Professor Dr. H. Fahlbusch, Chairman, Working Group on History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control (WG-HIST), coordinated a Session on 'Water and History' at the 2nd WWF, The Hague, and a related publication was released.

The web site of ICID was enlarged to a significant extent by the heading up of information on all the ICID activities and deliberations addressing the organizational, as well as sectoral, issues at large on one hand and global updates on the other, in pursuant to its objective of providing enhanced ICID service to member countries. A Text Delivery Service (TDS) for the benefit of professionals, world-wide, was also launched in August 2000.