A roadmap to
ICID Vision 2030
Felix Reinders
President: ICID
ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering
he International Commission on
Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), has
just released its roadmap to ICID
Vision 2030 with the main drive “A
water secure world free of poverty and hunger”. T decades and demographic changes taking
place around the world, urban oriented
socio-economic considerations have started at-
tracting greater attention of policy makers and
investors at the direct cost of rural water issues.
The roadmap was released at ICID’s 68th
International Executive Council Meeting together
with the 23rd International Congress on
Irrigation and Drainage that were held from
8-14 October 2017 at the World Trade Center,
Mexico City, Mexico and in summary states
as follows:
“Water, as the main input for food produc-
tion, has played the most significant role in
population growth and societal evolution
over much of the recorded human history.
Numerous civilizations flourished and then
also became extinct because of the way they
managed their agricultural water. By being a
direct or indirect part of 7 out of 17 Sustainable
Development Goals, water assumes inclusive
dimension both as a natural resource for rural
development and an essential input commodity
for industrial and human (life-style) consumption. Resolution of development conflict is feasible
through exchange of knowledge and sharing
of technology through communication,
cooperation and/or collaboration. For more
than sixty-seven years ICID network has
symbolized the share and exchange of
knowledge and technology for agricultural
water management (AWM). Under the limiting
natural resources, climate change and rising
conflicts, the task of ICID network has become
even more critical and daunting. The newly
emerging and competing demands for water,
coupled with the uncertainty of impact of climate
change on food productivity, have challenged
the ICID stakeholders and partners to redouble
their efforts.
Ironically, agricultural water seems to be a
victim of its own success as it supports the
human life multiply, and enables better living
conditions, only to be eventually challenged
by increasing demand on its share of the pie,
i.e., available freshwater. Due to increasing
industrial prosperity over the last several
ICID Vision 2030 for a water secure world
free of poverty and hunger through sustainable
rural development through its mission to
facilitate prudent AWM by encouraging inter-
disciplinary approaches to irrigation and
drainage management is an expression of
intent of the network to help various stake-
holders in moving towards a ‘World we Want’.
This ‘Road Map to ICID Vision 2030’ has been
a collective effort of all ICID network members