The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) does not limit its activities to global arena only; its focus permeates to regional level too. ICID organizes Regional Conferences on themes of interest to its members in a particular region. These Regional Conferences, viz. Asian Regional Conference, European Regional Conference, African Regional Conference and Pan-American Regional Conference provide a common platform to countries in these regions to address the issues and problems specific to that particular region. The Regional Conferences are sometimes organized alongside an ICID’s International Executive Council meetings and sometimes organized as a standalone event.
Africa with 15 percent of the global population has only 9 percent of the world’s renewable water resources and that too are unevenly distributed. Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change and its variability. The region encompasses 53 countries, of which 34 are categorized as Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The region often faces contradictory challenges of surplus and scarcity of land and water resources. There are also vast differences as regards socio-economic developments among sub-regions -under-development and over-exploitation. ICID believes that agricultural growth offers a potentially powerful tool for ensuring food security and spearhead poverty reduction in Africa. Presently, only 4.6 percent of its total arable and permanent crop land is equipped for irrigation while the potential is 6 percent. There is also a need to enhance capacity to address challenges for meeting growing water demand for agriculture, and managing water under global climate change.
To address the various issue related to agricultural water management, ICID established the African Regional Working Group (AFRWG) in 2000 with the objective of promoting strong communications and networking among African countries as well as regional and international institutions for enhancing cooperation and coordination. ICID has developed a special Africa Focus Program and the AFRWG works closely with regional associations like SARIA and ARID.
To focus on exchange of latest technical know-how and developments in the irrigation and drainage sector, ICID’s African Regional Working Group (AFRWG) organizes conferences in chosen countries. So far 5 African Regional Conferences have been held addressing matters related to African issues. These conferences are as summarized below:
Held in December 2004 in Cairo, Egypt, on the theme – Drainage in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for Enhancing Quality of Life.
Held in November 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the theme – Contribution of Rainfed and Irrigated Agriculture to Poverty Alleviation Through Increased Productivity In Africa.
Held in November 2011 in Bamako, Mali, and on the theme – Food Security & Climate Change: How To Improve Contribution of Irrigation and Drainage.
Held in Cairo, Egypt, April 2016, on the theme – Agricultural Land and Water Management for Sustainability Under Climate Variability.
Held in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2021 on the theme – Sustainable Management of Irrigation for an Improved Resilience of Agriculture in Africa.
To hold in Abuja, Nigeria in April 2025 on the theme – Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crisis in Africa.
Topics will encompass various aspects of irrigation and drainage management including technological advancements, sustainable practices, policy frameworks, climate change impacts on water resources, and strategies for enhancing agricultural productivity through effective water management.
The theme of the conference is “Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crisis in Africa.”
The conference is scheduled for April 14-15, 2025.
The conference will take place in Abuja, Nigeria.
The conference is open to a wide range of participants including policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in irrigation and water management in Africa.
Aims to address contemporary and future challenges in irrigation and drainage across Africa. It serves as a platform for experts from various member nations to exchange knowledge, share advancements in technology, and discuss best practices tailored to specific regional contexts.
The conference is organized by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), with Nigeria’s National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (NINCID) taking a leading role in preparations.
Expected outcomes include enhanced collaboration among member nations, improved understanding of irrigation and drainage issues specific to Africa, and the promotion of innovative approaches to water management that can be adopted by different countries.
Participants can contribute by sharing their expertise during discussions, presenting research findings or case studies related to irrigation and drainage, and engaging with other attendees to foster collaborative efforts.
Yes, there will be a registration process for attendees which will likely be detailed on official ICID or NINCID websites closer to the date of the event.
African Regional Working Group (AFRWG) was established in 2000 with the objective of promoting strong communications and networking among African countries as well as regional and international institutions for enhancing cooperation and coordination.
