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International agriculture fair opens in HCM City
22 Sept, 2017
HCM City, Vietnam: More than 200 local and foreign companies are displaying their products at the 17th International Agriculture Trade Fair, which opened in HCM City on Thursday. The products include regional agricultural specialties, safe foods and the latest equipment and technologies used in food preservation and processing and agricultural production.
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/394204/international-agriculture-fair-opens-in-hcm-city.html
Hurricane Irma brings agricultural disaster to Florida
20
Sept, 2017
Florida farmers and ranchers are assessing damages and starting the rebuilding process after Hurricane Irma devastated the state. G.B. Crawford of the Florida Farm Bureau says the state suffered an agricultural disaster that will cost farmers and ranchers billions.
https://www.fb.org/podcast/hurricane-irma-brings-agricultural-disaster-to-florida
AIOU provides academic support to promote agriculture sector
21 Sept, 2017
Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has launched six short-term courses to promote skills and knowledge-based courses in the agriculture sector. The last date for admissions in these courses is September 28. These courses relate to Plant protection, oilseed crops production, farm machinery, dairy farming, poultry farming, ‘jadeed zirat’ improved methods of fruit production, Home and Farm operational management and farm income generating skills.
http://nation.com.pk/islamabad/21-Sep-2017/aiou-provides-academic-support-to-promote-agriculture-sector
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change requires most urgent mitigation measures, African leaders tell UN Assembly
21
Sept, 2017
Citing the spate of recent devastating hurricanes, African leaders – from small island States to larger landlocked countries – mounted the podium of the United Nations General Assembly to call for urgent measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57663#.WcSU6LIjHcc
Oil companies sued to pay for cost of rising sea levels, climate change
22 Sept, 2017
At least five California municipalities are suing five major oil companies, claiming in public nuisance lawsuits that the firms should pay for the infrastructure costs associated with rising sea levels due to climate change.The latest suits announced by Oakland and San Francisco name BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/09/oil-companies-sued-to-pay-for-cost-of-rising-sea-levels-climate-change/
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DROUGHTS
Nedbank slams SA drought crisis management
20
Sept,
2017
Cape Town: The water crisis management during the drought affecting the Western Cape has come under fire. Nedbank has blamed political apathy for the mismanagement of the crisis, which it says has led to a decline in the province's key tourism industry.
http://www.news24.com/Green/News/nedbank-slams-sa-drought-crisis-management-20170920
Drought in western North Dakota eases significantly
21 Sept, 2017
Bismark, N.D: Drought in western North Dakota has eased significantly over the past week. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows a reduction in extreme and exceptional drought from 19 percent to less than 4 percent, due to heavy rains. The northwestern corner of the state is the only area that remains in those categories of drought, which are the two worst.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-dakota/articles/2017-09-21/drought-in-western-north-dakota-eases-significantly
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FLOODS
Hurricane Maria leaves Puerto Rico flooded, without power for months
21 Sept, 2017
Hurricane Maria, the most powerful storm to hit the U.S. territory in almost a century, ravaged the island, demolishing homes and knocking out all electricity. It could take half a year to restore power to the nearly 3.5 million people who live there. Intense flooding was reported, particularly in San Juan, where many residential streets looked like rushing rivers.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/hurricane-maria-leaves-puerto-rico-facing-months-without-power-n803326
Expert gives thumbs up to Malaysia's flood mitigation measures
22 Sept,
2017
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s flood mitigation, river restoration and conservation measures were put under the microscope last month when more than 1,000 international water management and environmental experts were in town to attend the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) World Congress 2017. The participants also managed to get first hand knowledge of Malaysia’s own flood and river management techniques, as well as ecological conservation efforts.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/282704/expert-gives-thumbs-malaysias-flood-mitigation-measures
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FOOD SECURITY
Global hunger on the rise for first time in a decade: UN report
15 Sept, 2017
Nearly 11% of the world’s population, or 815 million people, were chronically undernourished in 2016, according to a United Nations report. This is 38 million more people than 2015. The increase, the first in a decade, is largely due to rising violent conflicts, climate change, lifestyle changes and economic slowdown. Of the 815 million, 520 million people are from Asian countries.
https://scroll.in/latest/850804/global-hunger-on-the-rise-for-first-time-in-a-decade-un-report
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IRRIGATION
Canterbury struggling with water quality targets, good progress on irrigation
22 Sept,
2017
Canterbury is behind on its regional water quality targets but is making strong progress on irrigation goals. Rising nitrate levels in drinking water are a particular concern, as are a declining number of river spots suitable for recreation.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/97105519/canterbury-struggling-with-water-quality-targets-good-progress-on-irrigation
Bihar dam collapse: National Thermal Power Corporation denies design flaw allegations
21 Sept, 2017
The National Thermal Power Corporation on Thursday denied any technical flaw in the design of the underpass, which is being blamed for the breach in an irrigation canal in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was scheduled to inaugurate the nearly 20 feet Gateshwar Panth Canal Project, aimed at providing irrigation facilities in the state and neighbouring Jharkhand. The Rs 389-crore dam flooded nearby areas, including the NTPC township.
https://scroll.in/latest/851474/bihar-dam-collapse-national-thermal-power-corporation-denies-design-flaw-allegations
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Bloomsburg University professors explore water management in Guatemala
21 Sept,
2017
The Bloomsburg University anthropology professor has been working with a team of archaeologists to explore el-Peru and how the Maya managed their own water resources in this jungle community. The work by Dr. Damien Marken and his team could help improve the way experts look at water management.
http://www.pahomepage.com/news/bloomsburg-university-professors-explore-water-management-in-guatemala/815192718
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
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/
Drainage and Flood Control Summit, 26 - 27 November 2017, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Website: https://drainagefloodcontrol.com/
8th Asian Regional Conference, 2-4 May 2018, Kathmandu, Nepal, on the theme of “Irrigation in Support of an Evergreen Revolution”
Website:http://nencid.org.np/
69th IEC & Regional Conference, 12–17 August, 2018, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, on the theme: Innovative and Sustainable Agri-water Management: Adapting to a Variable and Changing Climate.
Website: http://www.icid2018.org/
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LATEST PUBLICATION(S)
National Agriculture Policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, September 2016.
Agriculture remains the mainstay of Malawi’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, economic growth, export earnings, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition. It also plays a critical role in ensuring sustainable use of natural resources. All of these pose a threat to food security and nutrition in the face of a growing population, increased land pressure, and climate change. In trying to address these challenges in the past, Malawi has over-concentrated on maize self-sufficiency for food and tobacco as a cash crop, at the expense of other agricultural commodities, including livestock and fisheries. Moreover, the sector remains predominantly subsistence-oriented. In response, the NAP seeks to sustainably transform the sector from subsistence to a market orientation in order to increase agricultural production, marketed surpluses of commodities, and real incomes.
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/NAP_Final_Signed.pdf
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