World Water Council acknowledges IICA’s efforts to advance integrated water resource management

San Jose, March 2, 2015 (IICA). The World Water Council (WWC) has acknowledged the efforts of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to advance integrated water management in the agricultural sector through the promotion of public policies and the sharing of knowledge on the issue.

The recognition follows IICA’s participation as a member of the WWC for over five years, through its Office in Brazil.

In 2013, during their biennial meeting, the ministers of agriculture of the Americas mandated IICA to support capacity building and technology innovation and transfer with a view to achieving integrated water management in agriculture across the region.

IICA prepared the document Water to Feed the Land , and a summary of the publication, as the basis for the ministerial discussions that took place in Argentina the same year.

Established in 1996, the WWC has over 300 member organizations based in more than 60 countries. Operating in the form of a network it facilitates debate, raises public awareness, and promotes the implementation of water management policies.

It organizes the World Water Forum, the most important international meeting for discussion of the actions required for the preservation and efficient use of water resources.

Held every three years, the event will take place for the seventh time in March of this year, in South Korea. The IICA Office in Brazil has contributed to the updating of the Water and Food document presented for the first time at the sixth forum, held in France in 2012.

The work on water resources carried out by IICA’s Office in Brazil is coordinated by Gertjan Beekman, an Institute specialist in agriculture, natural resources and climate change.

Kilmara Ramos, another specialist in the same Office, explained that IICA is already involved in preparation of the discussions that will take place at the eighth forum, due to take place in Brazil in 2018, whose theme will be “Sharing Water.”

More information:
gertjan.beekman@iica.int