WET – Page 4

APSCC team presented their research on Water Management for Food Security at the International Summer School on sustainable Management and Promotion of Territory, held at Perugia University, Italy.

According to FAO, Food security is the state achieved when food systems operate such that “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.

The research explored on the evolution of global demand for food and its impact on water and food security, water footprint, water conflicts, water use efficiency and other challenges.

A more holistic approach to water management as unanimously agreed with due consideration to the following factors;

Better water measurement
Reform water governance system
Revitalize agricultural water use
Better manage urban and industrial demand
Empower women in water management
Reducing food wastage

APSCC team presented their research findings at the 8th International Conference on Urban Watershed Management-Water Systems in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas held at Tsinghua Universit, Beijing, China. The World has entered in the era of intense urbanization. The trend of rapid growth of cities and towns in developing countries is continuing, as exemplified by China, whose recent growth of urban population exceeds ten million per year. Such an extraordinary urban growth has exerted enormous pressures on water resources and the urban environment as well as ecological systems. Protecting the water environment is now one of the most important and pressing issues that demand great attention in all parts of the world. Urban watershed management is therefore critically important to the sustainable use of water resources and the protection of valuable ecosystems. Much research findings and experiences have been gained in recent decades on urban water environment protection technologies, modeling methodologies, and management strategies.

The International Watershed Management Conference series was inaugurated in 1997 at the University of Virginia to provide a forum for sharing research and experiences in watershed management practices. The second conference was held at the University of Virginia in 1999, the third in Taipei in 2001, the fourth in Shenzhen, China in 2004, the fifth in Chengdu, China in 2007, the sixth in Nanchang, China in 2009, and the seventh in Auckland, New Zealand in 2010. Tsinghua University will hold its Centennial celebration activities in 2011 in collaboration with the 8th International Conference on Urban Watershed Management: Water Systems in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas (8th ICUWM). The objective of the 8th ICUWM is to bring together professionals from various parts of the world together to discuss urban watershed management strategies; techniques and practices for lake ecosystem protection and resource utilization; integrated water quality control technologies, and institutional/organizational issues that are important in achieving a sustainable utilization of water resources.