The event brought together irrigation and drainage professionals, along with a broad range of stakeholders, to share knowledge and experience in sustainable agricultural water management, with a strong focus on irrigation management. The conference saw the participation of 1,400 delegates, including over 250 international participants.
The opening plenary session was delivered by President Dr. Marco Arcieri.  Dr. Marco welcomed members to the 75th IEC meetings, thanked IACID for their excellent arrangements, and expressed gratitude to all delegates for attending the 75th IEC and 9th Asian Regional Conference, contributing to its success. He also acknowledged the participation of international organizations, including IWMI, FAO, China Institute of Water Resources & Hydropower, Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal, Australian National University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and all direct members of ICID.  Dr. Arcieri emphasized the need for global collaboration in sustainable water management for agriculture and highlighted ICID's achievements since the 74th IEC meeting in New Delhi. He stressed the importance of a unified approach towards ICID's mission.  He also mentioned the restructuring of ICID’s work bodies, which now include 11 new working groups organized under four strategic themes: Irrigation & Drainage, Natural Resources, Climate Change & Impacts, and Sustainable Development.  Additionally, Dr. Arcieri highlighted ICID's FAO study on mapping irrigation needs in India, the ongoing membership drive to expand ICID’s global reach, and his participation in various international meetings and partnerships. He also discussed ICID publications, the 2024 ICID Awards, and upcoming events.

As part of the event, the sessions also announced the winners of the WatSave Award, WHIS, and the Best Paper Award, along with the appointment of the new Secretary General, Dr. Rakesh Kumar Gupta, and three new Vice Presidents: Mr. Mohd. Bouaam (Morocco), Dato’ Ir Mohd Azmi Bin Ismail (Malaysia), and Dr. Gaforzoda Bakhrom Abdulfiz (Tajikistan). As part of the event, two publications were released: Irrigation and Drainage for Food Security in Asia and Proceedings: International Workshop on the Water-Food-Energy Nexus.  Several study tours and excursion visits were organized by the Australian National Committee to showcase and promote Australia's touristic destinations, cultural, and architectural heritage. In addition to the enriching technical discussions, the event also featured performances highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Australia and Malaysia, including melodious music and captivating folk dances from various regions.

The 9th Asian Regional Conference began with a welcome by Darug Elder Aunty Peta Strachan, followed by a performance from the Jannawi Dance Clan. Dr. Anoulak Kittikhoun delivered a keynote on global water trends and the Mekong River Commission, emphasizing sustainable water management. Keynotes from Mr. Dave Cameron and Mr. Naomi Carragher further enriched the opening ceremony.
The conference featured workshops on irrigation management, technology, and sustainability, fostering collaboration. A notable panel discussion, “What has irrigated agriculture/horticulture ever done for us? And what is its role into the future?” included experts discussing the significance of irrigated agriculture for food production and rural economies, addressing topics like technology, climate change, and policy.

The exhibition showcased innovative products, highlighted by the Garry Time Challenge, a competitive robot assembly race. Several prestigious industry awards were presented throughout the evening, including the Maclean Iedema Award, which honours individuals who have made significant contributions to the irrigation industry. Ben Chapman and Chris Thompson were recognised for their outstanding achievements and decades of dedication to advancing the sector.
The Women in Water breakfast, hosted by Hon Karlene Maywald, celebrated women's roles in water management, featuring a discussion with Narges Zohrabi on the challenges women face in the field. The conference concluded with keynotes from Dr. Kathryn Wynn on the future of irrigated agriculture and Brian Walker, the ‘Retail Doctor,’ on adapting to market changes. 

WatSave Award Winners – 2024

WatSave Awards are annual awards that were instituted by ICID in 1997 to recognize and encourage the development of innovative ideas to facilitate robust and result-oriented technologies that could be implemented to save the usage of water for agricultural purposes. This year, the recipients received awards under three categories—Innovative Management, Technology, and Young Professionals. The winners of the 2024 WatSave Awards for various categories are:

1.  Innovative Water Management	2.  Technology	3.  Young Professional
Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Dharwad, Karnataka (India) Rejuvenation of Participatory Irrigation Management in Karnataka, India - In Karnataka, water use efficiency in agriculture, particularly in irrigation, is low, with only about 30-35% efficiency in surface flow irrigation systems. This inefficiency leads to significant water loss, around 65-70%. To address this issue, Karnataka introduced legislative measures, including amendments to the Karnataka State Irrigation Act (1965) in 2000, which incorporated provisions for Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM). A key component of this act is the formation of Water User Cooperative Societies (WUCS), aimed at managing water distribution equitably among members and improving overall water management systems.	Drip Irrigation Technology and Integrated Equipment for Field Crop - Prof. Yunkai Li (China)  Prof. Yunkai Li has conducted systematic research for 24 years in field crop drip irrigation technologies. He has developed water-saving and yield-enhancing technologies for drip irrigation in field crops, providing valuable guidance for farmers on the effective use of this technology and achieving large-scale water-saving effects. Furthermore, he has developed five marginal water drip irrigation technologies specifically for reclaimed water, high-sediment water, high-salinity groundwater, brackish water, and biogas slurry, which conserve water by substituting clean water with marginal water. Additionally, the applicant has invented a series of drip irrigation equipment to improve the performance and reliability of drip irrigation systems.	Developing Tail Water Recovery System to Collect Irrigation or Rain Water Run-Off on the Farm for Reuse - Muhammad Haniff Bin Ahmad (Malaysia) A study focuses on a Tail ware recovery system aimed at sustaining seed production in agriculture, conducted over eight seasons from 2014 to 2019 at the Rice Centre of Excellence (CoE) research plot in MARDI Seberang Perai. Through meticulous water management, particularly during fluctuating weather conditions, this system aims to optimize water resources and ensure the uninterrupted cultivation of paddy. Data collected on rainfall and irrigation flow underscore the system's effectiveness in achieving significant water savings ranging from 20 to 32 percent per season, depending on rainfall intensity. Moreover, the successful production of over 3.5 tonnes per hectare of fragrance paddy seed highlights the innovation's potential for enhancing food security sustainability through research and development initiatives.

Best Paper Award 2024
The ICID journal Irrigation and Drainage is the flagship publication of ICID. It is a prestigious, peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research on scientific, engineering, environmental, and socio-economic issues related to irrigation and drainage. The journal serves as a valuable resource for professionals, engineers, researchers, university professors, and students in the fields of irrigation, drainage, and agriculture. Its management is overseen by an International Editorial Board (EB). 
The Best Paper Award was introduced in 2006 to recognize outstanding contributions to Irrigation and Drainage on an annual basis. During the 75th IEC Meeting, the Best Paper Award 2024 was presented to Vinod Kumar S, Chandra Deep Singh, K. V. Ramana Rao, Mukesh Kumar and Yogesh Annand Rajwade from India for their outstanding paper entitled ‘Development of a Smart IoT-based Drip Irrigation System for Precision Farming’ published in Volume 72, Issue 1’. 

Newly Elected Office Bearers (2024 – 2027)

Mr. Mohamed Bouaam (Morocco)	Dato’ Ir. Mohd Azmi Bin Ismail (Malaysia)	Dr. Bakhrom Gaforzoda (Tajikistan)

World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) 2024

ICID identifies, recognizes, and maintains a record of World Heritage Irrigation Structures of archival value, which are more than a century old and help illustrate the evolution of irrigation systems across different civilizations. This concept was introduced at the 63rd International Executive Council (IEC) Meeting in Adelaide, Australia, in 2012. The aim is to conserve these heritage structures for future generations, similar to the way UNESCO recognizes world heritage sites. At the 75th International Executive Council Meeting held at Sydney, Australia, a total of 18 World Heritage Irrigation Structures were recognized. This includes:

• India (4) - Martand Canal; Nandi Canal; Kanigiri Reservoir; and Dhuty Weir.
• China (4) - E Barrages (Huizhou) / E Barrages (Wuyuan); Fengyan Terraces; Jufeng Weir Irrigation System; and Turpan Karezes.
• Iran (4) - Fariman Historical Dam; Naseri Stream; Qale Hatam Historical Bridge; and Stone Whirlpool.
• Iraq (1) - The Lower Kahreez Haji Beykhan.
• Japan (3) - Minamihara-Anazeki Irrigation Canal; Tatsugaike Irrigation Pumping Station; and Saikojino-sosuiro Irrigation System.
• South Africa (1) - Douglas Weir.
• Türkiye (1) - Alacahoyuk Gölplnar Hittite Dam