Dr. Yousri Ibrahim Atta, Egypt receiving award from Governor of Punjab, Pakistan

SPONSORS

• 2008 - Pakistan National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (PANCID)
• 2007 - U.S. National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID)
• 2006 - Malaysian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (MANCID), and Spanish National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CERYD)
• 2005 - Spanish National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CERYD)
• 2004 - French National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (AFEID)
• 2003 - Japanese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (JNC-ICID)
• 2002 - Canadian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CANCID)
• 2001 - Korean National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (KCID)
• 2000 - Indian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (INCID)
• 1999 - Cinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CNCID)
• 1998 - Netherlands National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (NETHCID), Directorate General of Public Works & Water Management, and IHE Delft

Ref.No. IC 96/Awards
Dated 12 January 2009

All National Committees/ Committee of ICID

Subject: WatSave Awards - 2009 - Invitation for nominations

Dear Sir/Madam,

It is my great pleasure to announce that ICID is inviting nominations for the WatSave Awards 2009 from world over. Awards are presented to persons across the world to recognize their outstanding contributions to water saving/conservation in agriculture and are given in three categories viz. (i) Technology, (ii) Innovative Water Management, and (iii) Young Professionals. Each award carries prize money of US$ 2000 and a Citation. The ICID WatSave Awards for the year 2009 will be presented at the 60th meeting of the IEC scheduled to be held in December 2009 at New Delhi, India.

Nominations are invited for the 'WatSave Awards 2009' from individuals/ team through ICID National Committees/ Committee. The entries are open to all professionals/ teams from ICID member countries as well as non-member countries. In case of an entry from a 'non-member' country, the nomination has to be routed through and validated by an active National Committee of ICID, who should be in touch with the nominee and aware of his work'.

All the National Committees/ Committee are requested to send their nominations by inviting contributions on outstanding achievement from all those professionals who are engaged on water saving/ conservation activities. The deadline for receipt of the entries from the National Committees along with a completed Nomination Form (Annex 1) to the Central Office ICID, New Delhi is 31 August 2009. The 'Conditions and Criteria' set for the awards are given in Annex 2. Annex 3 shows the checklist of enclosures to be forwarded by the National Committee while submitting the nominations.

The selection of the winners from amongst the nominations received will be made by an International Panel of Judges to be appointed by the President, ICID in consultation with the Chairman, Working Group on Water Saving for Agriculture (WG-WATS). Annex 4 provides an 'Evaluation process' to be adopted by the international 'Panel of Judges' while evaluating the nominations.

I request all the national committees/ committee to carry out primary evaluation of the nomination(s) in light of the questions posed in the evaluation process, before submitting those to the Central Office, New Delhi. Nominations not complying with the above requirements will not be accepted.

Full details of the awards and excerpts of the past award winning contributions are available on ICID web site www.icid.org/awards.html

I also urge your National Committee/Committee to give a wide publicity to these awards in your country through local newspapers also by e-mailing amongst all professionals working with water management organisations. Please also widely circulate the announcement, especially among actual farming and young professional communities and persons actively involved/ dedicated to water saving/conservation practices, in order to get real outstanding contributions.

Yours faithfully,

(M. Gopalakrishnan)
Secretary General

09002-WS-Awards-09
11 de enero de 2009

NOTA CIRCULAR - AERYD

Asunto: Invitando a presentar candidaturas para Premios ICID-WatSave, 2009


Estimados amigos:

La Comisión Internacional de Riegos y Drenajes (ICID) invita a todos los países miembros a presentar candidaturas a los Premios WatSave para 2009.

Estos Premios se otorgan a personas con carácter individual o a equipos de todo el mundo, en reconocimiento por destacadas contribuciones al ahorro y/o conservación del agua en la agricultura, en tres categorías: (1) Tecnología, (2) Gestión Innovadora del Agua, y (3) Jóvenes Profesionales. Cada uno de estos Premios lleva una dotación en metálico de 2.000 dólares USA y una Placa Honorífica, y serán entregados al durante el 60º Consejo Ejecutivo Internacional, en Nueva Delhi, en diciembre de 2009.

La invitación está abierta a cualquier profesional o equipo involucrado en este campo de trabajo que desee presentar la solicitud a través de su respectivo Comité Nacional. El plazo para presentación de solicitudes a la Oficina Central, en Nueva Delhi, junto con el Formulario de Nominación cumplimentado ("Annex 1"), termina el 31 de agosto de 2009. Las condiciones y criterios de adjudicación de los premios se encuentran en el "Annex 2". El "Annex 3" presenta la relación de documentos que debe adjuntar el Comité Nacional al presentar las nominaciones.

La selección de los ganadores se realizará por un Cuadro Internacional de Jueces designados por el Presidente de la ICID, en conformidad con el Presidente del Grupo de Trabajo para el Ahorro de Agua en Agricultura (WG-WATS). En el "Annex 4" se muestra el "proceso de evaluación" que seguirá el Cuadro Internacional de Jueces para evaluar las condidaturas recibidas.

La ICID pide a los Comités Nacionales que realicen una evaluación previa de las solicitudes que les lleguen antes de remitirlas a la Oficina Central.

Asimismo, la ICID pide a los Comités Nacionales que den la mayor difusión posible a esta invitación a presentar candidaturas para los citados Premios WatSave 2009, lo que, como Secretario Ejecutivo de este Comité Español, me es grato realizar en el deseo de estimular la presentación a la ICID de actividades destacadas de los técnicos españoles, en alguna de las categorías antes señaladas, para la obtención de estos Premios.

Un cordial saludo



José Antonio Ortiz y Fdez. de Urrutia
Secretario Ejecutivo, CERYD

Winners of Watsave Awards 2008

Technology Award

Dr. Yella Reddy, Mr. Satyanarayana and Mrs.G Andal (India) have jointly received the award for their water saving contribution on "Micro irrigation: A Technology for Prosperity". The innovation is related to the replacement of a portable sprinkler system with a semi-permanent sprinkler system in Andhra Pradesh State of India. In using portable sprinkler systems, farmers have been experiencing problems with respect to storage and operation time needed to shift the system to different areas. Although changing to a semi-permanent sprinkler system incurs additional expenditure, it provides for advantages like labour saving, operation convenience and better working condition in the field. Also it helps to eliminate ponding of water near the pipe joints. The innovative semi-portable sprinkler system has become popular in the state and its adoption has been increasing. The water savings are when we switch from surface irrigation to sprinkler irrigation and are about 50%.

Dr. Yella Reddy (b.1960) is a Principal Scientist and Project Manager, Andhra Pradesh Water Management Project, Bapatla and earlier he has worked as an Officer on Special Duty (Technical) Andhra Pradesh Micro irrigation Project (APMIP). Mr. Satyanarayana (b. 1957) is a Project Officer and Mrs. G Andal (b. 1968) is a Horticultural Officer at the APMIP. Dr. Reddy may be contacted at <yellareddy@yahoo.com>. For details of the contribution, please click here.

Innovative Water Management Award

Dr. Yousri Ibrahim Atta, Egypt (b.1960) has received the WatSave Innovative Water Management Award for his water saving contribution "Innovative Method for Rice Irrigation". In Egypt, rice is traditionally grown under flood irrigation. To reduce the amount of irrigation water required as well as to increase water productivity, a new method of growing rice on stirps has been adopted. This involves planting of rice in two strips along each furrow. In the traditional method, the rice seedlings are planting at a distance of 20x20 cm giving a density of 25 tillers/m2, while with the new method, the seedlings are planted in 2 strips 10 cm apart but still maintaining the same density of 25 tillers/m2. This strip method or ice cultivation has now been made mandatory by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) as it allows for a 40% savings in water.

Dr. Atta is Associate Professor in Water Management and Irrigation Systems Research Institute (WMRI) of Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), Egypt. He may be contacted at yosriatta8888@yahoo.com. For details of the contribution, please click here.

Young Professional Award

Dr. Amgad Elmahdi, Australia (b. 1972) received the WatSave Young Professionals Award for his water saving contribution "Water Banking: A Conjunctive Water Use Management Approach for Water Saving and Improve Productivity and Environmental Performance"

The work involved developing an integrated modeling framework for estimating potential water savings, associated costs and levels of seasonal and environmental flow improvements under different supply and demand management options. Based on work on the Murrumbidgee River system, the research has helped increase understanding of how to improve the environmental quality of the river through better irrigation demand management to save water for the environment and for underground damming (water banking) downstream.

Results have shown that big water savings are possible, ranging from 80 to 200 GL, depending on climate conditions, while maintaining crop yields and reducing negative environmental impacts. The framework is a useful policy and planning tool for catchment mangers, water supply irrigation authorities, policy and decisions makers and irrigators.

In brief, water banking is the storage of surplus in-stream flows during the wet season into aquifer storage to be used during deficit periods i.e., when the irrigation demand exceeds the available requirements by diversion of in-stream flows. Storage underground reduces greatly evaporation losses as compared to surface storage. This process adds flexibility in conjunctive water management, reduces water losses and better utilization of in-stream flows. The concept of water banking provides for a better management of scarce water resources and has the potential for significant water savings.

Dr. Amgad Elmahdi (b. 1972), Australia, is a Research Scientist at CSIRO Land and Water, Glen Osmond SA, Australia. He may be contacted at <amgad.elmahdi@csiro.au> or <amgad@nbcbn.com>. Please click here for details of the contribution. For more publications

Hearty Congratulations to all the Award Winners.

N.D. Gulhati Memorial Lecture for International Cooperation in Irrigation and Drainage

Seventh N.D. Gulhati Memorial Lecture for International Cooperation In Irrigation and Drainage

IRRIGATION IN THE CONTEXT OF TODAY'S GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS
Vice President Hon. Chandra A. Madramootoo (Canada)

The 7th N.D. Gulhati Memorial Lecture for International Cooperation in Irrigation and drainage was delivered by VPH Chandra Madramootoo at Lahore Congress. The lecture provided an overview of the challenges facing irrigation and drainage community, and the need to better manage our irrigation and drainage systems to reduce poverty and hunger. The following is a summary of some key aspects of his presentation.

Global Irrigation Development

Of the 1500 million ha of global crop land about 277 million ha (18%) are irrigated. The largest share of the irrigated area is in Asian region (70%), followed by North and Central America (11%), Europe (9%), Africa (5%), South America (4%), and Oceania (1%). During the last four decades the crop land has increased marginally, while population has more than doubled leading to a reduction in the area of land needed to produce food for a person. Irrigation has played an important role in increasing crop productivity. However, the rate of irrigation expansion has declined from 2.3% in 1970-80 to 0.6% in 2000-05 (see figure). Some countries will increasingly face water scarcity. Future needs of water for food are huge and improved water management systems will be required to cope with the demand.

Global Food situation

During the last four decades the crop area harvested has hardly increased, while the world cereal production has increased by about two and half fold. In general, the overall food prices (in USD) are up by 75% since 2000. Cereals, in particular rice and wheat dominate food supply and provide the largest share of energy to the world's population. However, globally, close to one billion people still remain malnourished, of which some 800 million live in least developed countries (LDCs). The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has targeted to reduce this number by half by 2015. In fact the preliminary goal of MDG attempts to highlight this given its importance. This translates into a need of reducing 22 million per year, while current rate is only 6 million per year - posing a big challenge to bridge the gap between the target and achievement.

There are contradictory views as regards the impact of increasing bio-fuel crop production on food availability. Some view that this might cause food shortage and consequent hike in the food prices; while a few others opine that bio-fuels provide LDCs and poor farmers new opportunities for employment to improve their economy and livelihoods.

On-farm Water Management and System Modernization

There has been growing concerns over declining irrigation system performance and investment benefits, especially in the large-scale public irrigation schemes. Improvement in both viz., conveyance efficiency and on- farm water management is a key for increasing the overall irrigation efficiency. Efficiency gains of 14% in gross withdrawal can also be achieved through reuse of return flows. Improved surface irrigation methods like level furrows, sprinkler and micro irrigation methods and use of advanced techniques of irrigation scheduling can help improve on-farm water management. Modernization of irrigation and drainage systems in a broad sense (technical, management, financial, environmental) will be required at a large-scale, especially in emerging countries to achieve the required increase in food production, and also, in some cases, to save water for other uses.

Investment in Agriculture

It is seen that the public spending on agriculture is the lowest in the agriculture based countries, while the share of agriculture in GDP is the highest. National and international investments in agriculture, official development assistance (ODA), and the World Bank's lending in irrigation have been declining steadily and a complacency set in that is a major cause of the recent global food shortage.

The Way forward

In most developing countries, the agricultural sector is considered as an engine of growth and national governments therefore should reinvest in agriculture and associated infrastructure. In order to reduce water withdrawals for irrigation, upgrading of irrigation infrastructure through rehabilitation and modernization should be given priority. Other aspects like timely maintenance of irrigation and drainage infrastructure, investment in water storage and water saving technologies, combating the twin menace of waterlogging and salinity through drainage are required. Public-private investment in infrastructure is to be encouraged. One size does not fit all, and solutions have to be case specific.

Maximizing basin water productivity through multi-objective decision making process, developing a rapid innovative research agenda, capacity building at all levels and building of institutional support for local, regional and international markets will go a long way in achieving food security. External factors, like impacts of bio-fuel production, climate change, virtual water trade, changes in agriculture markets and the prices of commodities will influence agriculture growth and allied activities. Such changes will require additional adaptations in the development of water management measures to sustain global food production to desired levels and avoid the probability of a severe crisis in the coming years.

PowerPoint Presentation

Presented at ICID’s 20th Congress, Lahore, Pakistan
October 2008

2nd Best Performing Workbody Award, 2008

Best Paper Award

Dr. T.B.S. Rajput and Dr. Neelam Patel (India) receiving 'Best Paper Award 2006' from President Lee in recognition of their outstanding paper titled "Enhancement of Field Water Use Efficiency in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India" published in Issue 54.2.

Dr. Hassan Ismail Memorial International Award (Discontinued)