Date: 06 August 2021, Time: 15:00 hour (IST)

INTRODUCTION
Water, as the key natural resource, is fundamental to all economic, social and environmental development processes. Thus, efficient water resources management is essential for achieving poverty reduction through inclusive growth; maintaining public health and food security; providing livelihoods for a life of dignity for all; and sustaining long-lasting harmony with the Earth’s essential ecosystems. Globally, rising temperatures will translate into increased crop water demand. Therefore, special impetus should be given towards mitigation at farm-level by enhancing the capabilities of community adopted climate resilient technological options. This, together with an approach at a catchment level will help to increase the overall efficiency of water use.

Given the rapid changes taking place within the global development scenario due to demographics, climate change and degradation of natural resources, AWM also needs to change in order to ensure water security, food security and sustainable rural development. In view of this dynamic development scenario International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) as a network of AWM professionals decided to give itself a reality check and reorient its vision and strategies to achieve its stated objectives. “A water secure World free of poverty and hunger through sustainable rural development,” a road map to ICID vision 2030, presents the strategies to convert this vision into actions. 

The relative quantities of water being lost at the different levels in an irrigation system needs to be considered carefully and measures should be taken to reduce the losses and manage the water resources efficiently. The largest volume of water lost is normally at the field level, where, both the irrigated surface area and percolation losses below the root zone are high. The second major loss of water happens at during the distribution of water from field-to-field in the field channels. Increasing water use efficiency should be one of the top priorities of countries where irrigation demands are high in order to cope with increased climate variability, droughts and water scarcity. This requires emphasis on water measurement and quantification, participatory irrigation water management, capacity building of farmers, scientists and government agencies, large-scale promotion of water saving crop production technologies and expansion of micro irrigation into canal-irrigated areas. 

The ClimaAdapt Project (funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway and coordinated by NIBIO, Norway), AP Micro Irrigation Project (funded by NABARD, India), Base line studies on Water Use Efficiencies of Irrigation Projects (Funded by Govt. of India) have made significant contributions to capacity building, design and implementation of various measures to improve water use efficiency in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in India. The outcomes from these projects have helped in developing policy guidelines and wider adaptation of efficiency measures in the two states.

SPEAKER

VPH Dr. Kaluvai Yella Reddy

Kaluvai Yella Reddy is the  Dean (Faculty of Agril. Engg & Technology) of ANGR Agricultural University, Andhra Pradesh, India.  He has more than 35 years of experience in teaching, research, project management and administration. He obtained B.Tech (Agril Engg) from Dr PDKV, Akola, M.Tech and Ph.D degrees from IIT, Kharagpur and PG Diploma from University of Arizona, USA.

• As Principal Investigator, Developed Solar Powered Micro Irrigation System in 2002 with the financial support of Govt of India.
• As Project Manager, successfully completed $ 3.5 million FAO funded AP Water Management Project.
• As Technical Advisor to Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP), strengthened and supported the $ 570 million project in achieving 1.1 million ha under MI systems in 10 years
• As Director of WALAMTARI, Hyderabad (2012-2018) contributed for the growth of the Institute as one of the best in India.
• Organized over 25 national and international conferences and workshops and Published over 120 scientific papers
• Received  ‘International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage ICID WATSAVE Technology Award’ in the 20^th Congress of ICID held in Lahore (2008).
• Elected as Vice-President of (ICID)  in the 68^th International Executive Committee meeting held in Mexico City in Oct 2017.
• Obtained ‘World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) Awards’ for 6 projects  of India (2 in 2018 and 4 in 2020)
• Got approval of  International Executive Committee (IEC)  of ICID  for hosting  ICID Congress in  Vizag, AP, India in 2023. (This event last held in India in 1966)
• Visited more than 20 countries on official and technical assignments.

PANELISTS

Dr. Marco Arcieri, Vice President, ICID & Secretary General, Comitato Nazionale Italiano ICID (ITAL-ICI

Marco Arcieri was born in Potenza, in 1967. He’s a Technical Officer of the Southern Italy Hydrographic District Authority- MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, where he works since 2006. Earlier to that, he has been working for the National Institute of Agriculture, a research institute of the MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, as a technical researcher. He graduated from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Basilicata, where he also gained his International PhD on “CROP SYSTEMS, FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES”. His professional experience brought him to visit more than 40 Countries worldwide, in order to implement international research projects and attend to various Workshops and Meetings, both as a speaker and an invited guest. During his scientific activity, more than 25 years now, he has produced several papers for peer reviewed Journals, dealing with issues related to water resources management and irrigation planning/design, with a particular research interest focused on atmosphere-soil-water-plant interactions, aimed at the proper assessment of crop water requirements, along with sustainable agriculture and water saving in agriculture.

He’s currently the Senior Vice President of ICID, as well as the SECRETARY GENERAL of ITAL-ICID, the National Committee of Italy. Also, he’s a member of ICID Task Force to Guide the Partnership Process (TF-GPP) – Support to the High Level Advisory Group (HLAG) on “PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE WATER MANAGEMENT; member of ICID Panel of Judges for evaluations of nominations (PoJs) invited under the “SCHEME FOR RECOGNITION OF HERITAGE IRRIGATION STRUCTURES”; Head of the ICID REGIONAL NODE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA – IRPID PROGRAM; Chair of the ICID PERMANENT FINANCE COMMITTEE; member of ICID Working Groups “Water & Crop”, “European” and “History”; member of the Steering Committee of UN FAO WASAG - GLOBAL FRAMEWORK ON WATER SCARCITY and a PERMANENT OBSERVER to UN Agencies FAO, IFAD and WMO.

Dr. K. Palanisami (Emeritus Scientist @IWMI)

Dr. K. Palanisami is an international agriculture and water expert with specialization in Agriculture economics and water policy and climate change. He worked in several countries for about 12 years as a visiting professor and project scientist. He was also a consultant to World Bank, JICA, IFAD and ADB projects implemented in different countries. He was the Director of the Water Technology Centre and CARDS, Tamilnadu Agri. University (2000 -2008) and Principal researcher at International Water Management Institute (IWMI) from 2008-2014. Handled several national and international programs on water. He has written 20 books on water management and published 45 papers in leading international journals. Received several awards and fellowships at national and international level for his water and agriculture related works. Currently, serving as Emeritus Scientist of IWMI, Consultant to the ADB’s SIMP in India and Adjunct Professor, Water Technology Centre, Tamilnadu Agrl University.  

Er. Anshuman 

Mr. Anshuman, Associate Director, Water Resources Division of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) has been working in the field of water sector since last 24 years. His key qualifications include M. Tech. in energy & environmental management from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), N. Delhi.

His expertise in the water sector lies in the areas related to integrated water resource management, water use efficiency, water quality & quantity assessments where he has carried out several comprehensive research studies in context of the source (surface water, groundwater), issues (water scarcity, pollution, use efficiency etc.), sectors (irrigation, domestic & industrial) and stakeholders (Central/state Governments and local communities). His focus work areas include integrated water resources management (IWRM); Water use efficiency; Urban water supply & demand management studies; Water audits; Water conservation; Watershed management; Climate change and water security; Provision of drinking water, Resource evaluation and pollution load assessment; Adequacy & efficiency studies of sewage & effluent treatment plants; Training and capacity building in water & environmental management; Regulatory legislations, Environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies etc.

He has been member of several advisory committees earlier and currently is Member of CSIR Monitoring Committee for review of progress of FTT/FTC projects under Ecology, Environment, Earth & Ocean Sciences and Water (E3OW), Member of CSIR Committee for Evaluation of Indo-German Projects; Member of BIS Water Quality for Industrial Purposes Sectional Committee, CHD 13; Jury Member, Water Digest Water Awards, Organised by Water Digest and UNESCO; Member of Committee for National Water Mission Awards 2021; Member of the 'Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)' for SVAGRIHA V3  rating; Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) (Under Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India); Member of Sectional Committee for Water Quality for Industrial Purposes under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

He has executed several related projects, presented several papers at national and international fora and has several relevant national & international publications.