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.