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Facing climate and water pressures, farmers return to age-old practice
15 May, 2018
Cover cropping, an agricultural technique as old as dirt, is taking root in California. Used to enhance soil nutrition and improve the growth of plants, it fell out of favor after World War II when the practice was replaced by the use of chemical fertilizers. Farmers are also returning to the practice to curb the effects of a changing climate.
http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/climate_water_pressures_farmers_return_to_age-old_practice/
PorkMoney reveals huge potential for pig farming in Nigeria, Ghana
15 May,
2018
With a growing population currently at 180 million from the 6.5 billion world population, indications have emerged that pig farming can relieve the nation on the unemployment pressure faced by Nigerians as well as other developing Africa countries.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/porkmoney-reveals-huge-potential-for-pig-farming-in-nigeria-ghana/
UAE tries vertical farming to produce food with little water
10 May, 2018
Sustainable agriculture is a challenge in the arid United Arab Emirates, but a new indoor approach to farming may be the key to supplying the region with food without overdrawing from its limited water stores. Badia Farm – the word means 'oasis' in Arabic – grows greens like radish, kale, mustard, basil, and arugula in a controlled, indoor environment using hydroponic technology and LED lights.
https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2018/0510/UAE-tries-vertical-farming-to-produce-food-with-little-water
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change: An 'existential threat' to humanity, UN chief warns global summit
15 May, 2018
Both leadership and innovation are essential for climate action, Secretary-General António Guterres said in his keynote address to the global gathering, known as the R20 Austrian World Summit – a long-term initiative to help regions, States and cities implement the Sustainable Development Goals and meet the Paris Agreement targets.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009782
Experts meet to scale up efforts to tackle climate change displacement
15 May, 2018
Stakeholders from all over the world are gathered in Switzerland last week to contribute to the work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Task Force on Displacement and to assist in drafting recommendations to avert, minimize and address displacement in the context of climate change.
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/experts-meet-scale-efforts-tackle-climate-change-displacement
Climate change spells trouble for New Zealand’s crops, say scientists
7 May,
2018
New Zealand’s crops could be hit by more - and more serious - disease as climate change brings harsher, longer droughts. A team of New Zealand scientists say an increase in droughts over the coming decade is likely to increase the severity of a wide range of diseases affecting vital primary industries.
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/2145013/climate-change-spells-trouble-new-zealands-crops-say
[Top]
DROUGHTS
GRACE-FO will help monitor droughts
15 May, 2018
NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission was the first satellite system to directly measure global changes in the water stored underground in the world's largest aquifers. GRACE Follow-On, scheduled to launch this month, will continue this important task.
https://www.ecowatch.com/europe-drought-2565838346.html
Droughts becoming worse in Western U.S due to varying climate
16 May, 2018
A new study from NASA reinforces the idea that droughts are getting worse and could become more frequent in the Western U.S. Droughts aren’t just about precipitation, says NASA scientist and the study’s co-author Benjamin Cook. They’re also about the timing of snowmelt and the wetness of soil, both of which are upended by a warming climate.
http://www.kunc.org/post/climate-change-making-droughts-worse-western-us
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FLOODS
Flash floods in Afghanistan kill at least 34
15 May,
2018
Flash floods caused by heavy rain in the past week have killed at least 34 people in several Afghan provinces and caused serious damage to property and livestock, officials said. The flooding, hitting provinces mainly in the north and center of the country, had caused serious damage to around 900 houses, killed hundreds of cattle and damaged agricultural land. The floods, which came after an unusually dry winter that has led to drought in many areas, underline Afghanistan's vulnerability to natural disasters.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/flash-floods-afghanistan-kill-least-34-111628596.html
'Catastrophic' flooding in Grand Forks, B.C.; Dozens rescued
12 May,
2018
Firefighters rescued more than 30 people by boat, sometimes swimming through muddy and debris-laden water, by the time floodwaters had receded. Large parts of Grand Forks were underwater after three of the region’s rivers — the Granby, Kettle and West Kettle — all broke 1948 water level records by about 60 centimetres, said Chris Marsh, emergency operations centre director for the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/bc-flooding-officials-fear-weekend-hot-weather-could-speed-up-melting-snowpack
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FOOD SECURITY
Solar irrigation can improve food security and prosperity: FAO
8 May,
2018
New research from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has shown the significant potential for solar powered irrigation systems to increase sustainable water use. Solar irrigation also has the benefit of being climate-friendly and can help farmers adapt their agricultural practices to prepare for changing weather patterns.
http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/solar-irrigation-can-improve-prosperity-and-food-security-says-un-agency
Ending conflict vital to food security: UN
15 May, 2018
Rome: Ending violent conflict, bolstering peace and stability and preventing future strife are all are crucial to combating rising levels of chronic hunger in the world, the UN has said in a new report. Bringing lasting peace to conflict zones could cut annual food assistance costs by up to 50 percent, the newly released "World Food Assistance: Preventing Food Crises" report found.
http://www.sify.com/finance/ending-conflict-vital-to-food-security-un-news-finance-sfpmVadbdghcc.html
[Top]
IRRIGATION
Five states account for 78% of progress in micro-irrigation: India
1 May, 2018
Micro-irrigation projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), critical to making India drought-proof and producing “more crop per drop”, have steadily met targets since the launch of the scheme in 2015. An analysis of the mission, however, shows only a handful of states account for the overall leap. PMKSY is aimed at boosting investment in irrigation and improving the efficiency of water use. Just five states — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu — account for 78% of the coverage expansion during 2017-18.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/5-states-account-for-78-of-progress-in-micro-irrigation/storyWy81Whx6ApW6FOHtlh4bzN.html
[Top]
WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Zambia charges for groundwater use amid drought and raised demand
16 May, 2018
Faced with longer droughts and growing water demand, the Zambian government has introduced fees on groundwater use. Under a new executive order that came into effect in March, owners of domestic boreholes are, for the first time, required to pay a one-off fee of 250 kwacha ($25) to have their well licensed.
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/africa/2018-05-16-zambia-charges-for-groundwater-use-amid-drought-and-raised-demand/
Water shortages to be key environmental challenge of the century, Nasa warns
16 May,
2018
Water shortages are likely to be the key environmental challenge of this century, scientists from Nasa have warned, as new data has revealed a drying-out of swaths of the globe between the tropics and the high latitudes, with 19 hotspots where water depletion has been dramatic.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/16/water-shortages-to-be-key-environmental-challenge-of-the-century-nasa-warns
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
International Conference and 69th International Executive Council Meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, 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/
Global Water Security for Agriculture and Natural Resources (GWSAN), 3-6 October 2018, Hyderabad, India: An ASABE Global Initiative Conference.
Website: http://www.asabewater.org/
9th International Micro Irrigation Conference, 16-18 January 2019, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India, on the theme: Micro Irrigation in Modern Agriculture.
Website: http://www.icid.org/conf_microirri.html
3rd World Irrigation Forum (WIF3) and 70th International Executive Council Meeting, 1-7 September, 2019, Bali, Indonesia, on the theme: Development for water, food and nutrition security in a competitive environment.
Website: http://www.icid2019.org/
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LATEST PUBLICATION(S)
Water Saving in Irrigated Agriculture in Egypt: Case Studies and Lessons Learned, November 2017
The Egyptian National Committee for Irrigation and Drainage (ENCID) has launched a new book titled 'Water Saving in Irrigated Agriculture in Egypt: Case Studies and Lessons Learned.' The publication is a compilation of successful water-saving innovation ideas at the farm level and is a rich source of reference work for all the professionals engaged in agricultural water management aspirating for "More and more crop per drop." For more info, kindly write to Encid@link.net
http://www.en
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