This new online service introduced by ICID is developed to help various stakeholders in locating required business information through a few clicks. The online directory enlists all the services and products being provided by consultants, manufacturing companies, dealers, and other professional institutions dealing in irrigation, drainage and flood management. This online service is totally FREE and can be availed of by any service provider by submitting the required information on ICID website <http://www.icid.org/ypaddform2.php>. To view this new service, please visit http://www.icid.org/ypsearch.php

International RiverFoundation hosting International Riversymposium on the theme 'Great rivers of the world: Management for shared benefits', New Delhi, India, 12-14 September 2016.
http://riversymposium.com/

National Water Research Center (Egypt) International Conference on “Research and Technology Development for Sustainable Water Resources Management”  on the theme “Geo-Measurement, Field Investigation, and Monitoring” Special Sessions, Workshops and Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt, 4-6 December 2016.
E-mail: eng.mirmokhtar@gmail.com, website: www.redwarm2016-eg.org

13th International Drainage Workshop (IDW), Ahwaz City, Iran, 4-7 March 2017, Theme: Drainage and Environmental Sustainability. 
E-mail:13idw2017@gmail.com, website:http://idw13.org

68th IEC and 23rd ICID Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, 8-14 October 2017, on the theme: Modernizing Irrigation and Drainage for a new Green Revolution, Mexico City, Mexico, 8-14 October 2017.
Website: http://www.icid2017.org/ E-mail: cnm@mxcid.org, brobles@tlaloc.imta.mx, luis.rendon@cna.gob.mx, luis.rendon@conagua.gob.mx

USA: Corn boil showcases UGA research projects in sustainable agriculture
29 June 2016
Tomorrow, several hundred people will head out to the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research and Education Center in Watkinsville to enjoy corn grown by researchers from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at their annual corn boil — a festival showcasing the college’s research projects over the past year. “It’s just a good way for us to invite the community to see a little bit about what we do,” said Eric Elsner, superintendent of the Campbell Center. Previously a United States Department of Agriculture research center, the Campbell Center, which encompasses 1,055 acres of land in Oconee County, was taken over by UGA in 2013, according to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences website.
http://www.redandblack.com/athensnews/corn-boil-showcases-uga-research-projects-in-sustainable-agriculture/article_6950efcc-3c10-11e6-9952-9f228816b822.html

Ghana government asked to invest more in agricultural research
24 June 2016
Greater investment in agricultural research and development is the sure catalyst to help Ghana to attain and sustain food security, Dr Stella A. Ennin, the Director of the Crop Research Institute (CRI), has said. CRI is under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). She said there is also the need for the country to develop requisite equipment, institute price protection policy like taxes, duties, while taking advantage of new and emerging Science Technology and Innovations technologies to aid the country’s food security measures. Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2016/06/24/ghana-government-asked-to-invest-more-in-agricultural-research/

India consider umbrella legislation on climate change
27 June 2016
India is considering the possibility of bringing umbrella legislation on climate change to move ahead towards the ratification of the Paris climate agreement—a legacy that the US President Barack Obama wants to leave before his term draws to an end. The Indo-US Joint statement this month after PM Modi's visit to the US also made mention of the shared goal of enabling entry into force of the Paris Agreement as early as possible. It is learnt the PM's Executive Committee on Climate Change that met last month has held talks on bringing in an umbrella legislation through the Environment ministry to incorporate the many targets from across ministries and sectors. As per the climate action targets that India has indicated, a number of time bound actions need to be taken in the power, transport, agriculture, animal husbandry sectors among others to cut emissions.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-consider-umbrella-legislation-on-climate-change/articleshow/52931627.cms

WB offers $90 million in climate change, green growth support to Vietnam
26 June 2016
The World Bank (WB) announced on Saturday that it will assist Vietnam in strengthening climate change and green growth agendas with a US$90 million credit package for policy reforms aligned with the World Bank Group’s Climate Change Action Plan. This is the first in a series of three credits that will support climate change and green growth policy actions under the Vietnamese government’s Support Program to Respond to Climate Change, led by the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the WB said Friday on its website. The credit will fund the implementation of policies to improve integrated coastal zone planning and management, public investments related to climate change and green growth, protection of water resources and greater water use efficiency, as well as coastal forest development, according to the WB.
http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/35556/wb-offers-90-million-in-climate-change-green-growth-support-to-vietnam

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South Australia's vital agricultural drainage system in crises
24 June 2016
The vast and intricate system of drains, weirs and crossings that supports South Australia's agricultural industry is crumbling due to a dire lack of State Government funding, the Civil Contractors Federation SA says. The South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage system, sections of which dates back to 1862, is hailed as one of the state's most iconic engineering feats and the lifeline of one's SA's richest agricultural regions. According to The Advertiser, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia calculate that the system has boosted agricultural production by 500 to 1000%. The network, which includes 2589km of drains and 307 bridges, drains the area’s low-lying floodplains, which have an annual average rainfall of 712mm in places.
http://www.ipwea.org/blogs/intouch/2016/06/24/south-australias-vital-agricultural-drainage-system-in-crises

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South Africa: Western Cape identifies priority areas for drought mitigation
30 June 2016
Following a successful two-day drought dialogue, the Western Cape government has compiled a list of priority areas that will drive the province's drought mitigation strategies into the future. The drought dialogue was hosted by Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities and Agriculture, and Anton Bredell, Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. The primary goal of the indaba was to develop strategies to mitigate the impact of the drought on the Western Cape's agriculture sector. Over 100 delegates, including farmers, analysts, national and provincial government officials, Agri-Western Cape, AFASA and academics took part in the workshop.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201606300584.html

UN agencies to meet on El Niño’s ‘devastating impact’ in Central America’s Dry Corridor
28 June 2016
With the El Niño climate event devastating Central America’s so-called Dry Corridor, where one of the worst droughts in decades has left 3.5 million people food insecure, United Nations agencies will gather this week to discuss ways to improve the long-term response to the weather developments in the region. In a news release, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said it will convene a high-level meeting in Rome on 30 June, along with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), “to focus on the urgent need for long-term action to address the impact of El Niño, including building resilience for food security and nutrition for the most vulnerable populations in the affected countries.”
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=54342#.V3TCy1R97IU

Fighting Thailand's drought with biodiversity
26 June 2016
Thailand has been hit by one of the worst droughts in decades - with devastating effects on farmers. However, some small organic farms demonstrate that the key to surviving future droughts could be to embrace diversity. Thailand breathed a collective sigh of relief when the rains finally came late last month. El Nino has battered the country and wider region hard. After causing more than two years of extreme weather events including Thailand’s worst drought in decades, El Nino is finally set to abate. In April and May of 2016, Thailand's government said more than 30 of the country's 70 provinces were affected by drought. It is the second year in a row that extreme temperatures have left regions parched. Exports of key staples such as rice and sugar are expected to fall by at least a million tons, and prices in the former hit a two-year high due to predicted lower supply.
http://www.dw.com/en/fighting-thailands-drought-with-biodiversity/a-19361397

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Ethiopia, Kenya struggling to tackle flood, hunger
23 June 2016
As fears of flooding in Ethiopia and starvation in Kenya’s West Pokot County mount, communities, government officials and humanitarian agencies are struggling to cope with the impeding crises. Ethiopia – the second most populous country in Sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 97-million-strong population, is also struggling with one of the worst droughts in 50 years. The El Nino weather system triggered the droughts which have devastated crops in much of central, eastern and southern Ethiopia and have left 10.2 million people, over a tenth of the population, in need of food. In Kenya, however, the drought is limited to West Pokot County in the Rift Valley and has pushed some 600,000 people to the brink of hunger, according to official figures.
http://www.turkishweekly.net/2016/06/23/news/ethiopia-kenya-struggling-to-tackle-flood-hunger/

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Four scientists share World Food Prize
29 June 2016
Drs. Maria Andrade, Robert Mwanga, Jan Low and Howarth Bouis were announced as the 2016 Laureates of the World Food Prize, the most prominent global award for individuals whose breakthrough achievements alleviate hunger and promote global food security. This year's $250,000 prize will be divided equally between the four recipients. The announcement was made at a ceremony at the U.S. State Department, presided over by USAID Administrator Gayle Smith, who gave keynote remarks. "These four extraordinary World Food Prize Laureates have proven that science matters, and that when matched with dedication, it can change people's lives," said Administrator Gayle Smith. "USAID and our Feed the Future partners are proud to join with renowned research organizations to support critical advances in global food security and nutrition."
http://www.rfdtv.com/story/32336920/four-scientists-share-world-food-prize#.V3ZJe1R97IU

ADB, IRRI to promote food security through agricultural technologies
27 June 2016
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to promote food security in the Asia-Pacific through disseminating research on the role of advanced agricultural technologies in providing affordable food for all. The partners said the advocacy for 2016 will focus on expanding the use of climate-smart agriculture and water-saving technologies to increase productivity and boost the resilience of rice cultivation systems, and to minimize the carbon footprint of rice production. “We look forward to further strengthening our cooperation in this area to promote inclusive and sustainable growth, as well as to combat climate change,” said ADB President Takehiko Nakao in a statement.
http://www.enterpriseinnovation.net/article/adb-irri-promote-food-security-through-agricultural-technologies-642561718

Oman's OFIC signs agreement on food security projects
25 June 2016
Oman Food Investment Holding Company (OFIC) and Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for enhancing the existing cooperation between them in several food security projects in the Sultanate particularly the projects implemented by the company. The MoU aims at developing the main guidelines and the general framework for the future cooperation between the two sides in areas of common interest. The MoU was signed by Dr. Rashid bin Salim al-Masrori Chairman of OFIC and Mohammed bin Ubaid al-Mazro'ie, Chairman of AAAID. Dr. Al-Masrouri said that the MoU aims at enhancing the existing cooperation between the two organizations to serve objectives of food security in the Sultanate and facilitate the establishment of qualitative investment projects in field of food security.
http://timesofoman.com/article/86747/Oman/Government/Oman's-OFIC-signes-agreement-on-food-security-projects

USA: The California drought’s lessons for food security
22 June 2016
Despite the arrival of increased rain and snow from El Niño this winter, California enters the fifth straight year of its worst drought in 1,200 years. The drought has been especially acute in the state’s Central Valley, which ranges from extreme to exceptional drought. With its fertile soil, moderate climate, and unparalleled irrigation system, the Central Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions on the planet, producing nearly all of America’s almonds, olives, walnuts, and pistachios; the vast majority of its grapes, strawberries, avocados, carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce; and $13.1 billion worth of milk and cattle. As a result of the drought, California’s 39 million residents are competing for fewer available water resources. Water prices have spiked, increasing.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/06/22/the_california_drought_s_lessons_for_food_security.html

USA: Mobile drip irrigation has huge potential
29 June 2016
The development of “mobile drip irrigation” has big potential to create a more resourceful way to water crops, and Danny Rogers, professor of biological and agricultural engineering at Kansas State University, is one researcher looking at making such technology the most efficient possible. Researchers and water resource specialists in Kansas, including Isaya Kisekka and Jonathan Aguilar, are analyzing the technology and looking at ways to improve it in new field trials. But meanwhile, Teeter Irrigation based-out of Ulysses, Kansa, is marketing its Dragon-Line mobile drip irrigation. The concept and what Teeter Irrigation has done is to attach specially designed drip lines that drag on the ground where nozzles would be attached to a pivot irrigation platform.
http://www.agprofessional.com/news/mobile-drip-irrigation-has-huge-potential

Israel sends drip irrigation to small Paraguay farms
28 June 2016
Israel’s Foreign Ministry is sending 13 Netafim drip-irrigation systems this week to small farms in Paraguay’s San Pedro province as part of the “Family Drip System” project between Israel and Paraguay’s Federation of Production Cooperatives. “Through this project, small farmers in San Pedro have access for the first time to drip-irrigation systems. Producers will use it for growing vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet peppers and carrots, and will be assisted by the federation,” reported the Israeli Embassy in Asuncion. Netafim is a world leader in the development of modern drip irrigation. Its systems are expected to help farmers achieve greater crop yield using half the amount of water regardless of the type of soil.
http://www.israel21c.org/israel-sends-drip-irrigation-to-small-paraguay-farms/

India: Maharashtra govt seeks $600 million loan from World Bank for irrigation projects
26 June 2016
Maharashtra government has sent a proposal to the World Bank seeking a loan of USD 600 million for a water conservation project to be implemented in about 20,000 drought-hit villages of the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on 26th June. "State government has sent a proposal to the World Bank seeking a loan of $600 million on low interest rate... it is anticipated to be sanctioned shortly. We envisage utilising the fund by implementing a water conservation project in nearly 20,000 villages in next five years," Fadnavis said while addressing a farmers' rally in Kagal tehsil here. He said the project, aided by the World Bank, will help drought-stricken villages overcome parched conditions which have been prevalent in the state for the last couple of years.
http://www.firstpost.com/india/maharashtra-govt-seeks-600-million-loan-from-world-bank-for-irrigation-projects-2857340.html

World Bank to bring water to some 40,000 farmer households in Pakistan
30 June 2016
Pakistan’s province of Balochistan is one of the least water-secure provinces in Pakistan. Not only does this make farming difficult, it makes life itself quite uncertain. That is why the World Bank today announced that it had approved a $200 million credit to help Pakistan bring community-based water management to this region. Dubbed the “Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management & Development Project,” the initiative will invite both public and private investments in the water basins located in the Balochistan province. These basins are attached to the Nari and Porali rivers, and were selected due to their promising prospects for water resource development.
http://www.economywatch.com/news/World-Bank-to-Bring-Water-to-Some-40000-Farmer-Households-in-Pakistan0630.html

Water shortage in northern Israel is worst in past 100 years, new data shows
27 June 2016
The water shortage in northern Israel is the worst in 100 years, according to new data from the Water Authority. The data show that the water level in the Sea of Galilee will probably drop below its red warning line (about 700 feet, or 213 meters, below sea level) in about three months’ time. And if it then falls another five feet and reaches the “black line,” as many predict, this will require a halt to all pumping from the lake. The Water Authority says the weather events over recent years were forecast many years ago, based on climate change, and one of its effects is a reduction in precipitation in the region. But the size and strength of the change, and the speed in which it happened, was unexpected. Now it’s possible that, in light of the deteriorating situation, all previous forecasts will have to be revaluated.
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.727257

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IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE - The Journal of the ICID
Articles available via complimentary online access at: http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ird