The Asian continent has the highest area under irrigation viz. 225 Mha, which is about 41% of its arable land. Also, this is where about 60% of the whole world population lives. India (67 Mha), China (65 Mha) alone account for 59% of the irrigated area in Asia. Eight countries (India, China, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and Bangladesh) account for 82% of the total irrigated land in Asia. Five most populous countries (China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) out of the top 10 in the world are from Asia accounting for 45% of the world population. To feed this ever increasing population, food production needs to be doubled. And that is only possible by water resources development and management.

To fulfill the task of doubling the food production in the region, the NCs from Asian region have formed the Asian Regional Working Group (ASRWG) to focus on numerous hot topics of the current importance. Recently, the Asian Regional Task Force on Climate Change (ARTF-CC), established under ASRWG, compiled a report titled "Climate change adaptation for irrigation and drainage in Asia" which was presented at the sixth world water forum held in Marseille in March 2012. Earlier a symposium on "climate change impacts on soil and water resources" was organized by the group at Tehran, Iran in 2011. In 2008, the group also brought out a ‘Report on ICID Task Force for Least Developed Countries in Asia’.

Besides organizing the Asian regional conferences on topics of current importance, the group enhances linkages with regional and transnational organizations for co-operation and transfer of technology in irrigation and drainage with aim to increase the food production.

8th ASIAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE, 2-4 May 2018, Kathmandu, Nepal
The 8th Asian Regional Conference (ARC) was held from 02-04 May 2018 at Kathmandu, Nepal on the theme “Irrigation in Support of an Evergreen Revolution”. The 8th ARC was inaugurated by Hon'ble President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari in the presence of Hon'ble Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun "Ananta", President Felix Reinders, and other distinguished invited guests.  [ More... ]	During the opening session of Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) a book of the Asian Regional Working Group (ASRWG) titled “Contribution of Agriculture Water to the Rural Development in Asia” was released. This publication is now available for download or viewed from http://www.icid.org/asrwg_report_2018.pdf