More than 1,200 policy-makers, academics, and NGOs from 45 countries gathered in Chiang Mai yesterday for the opening of the second World Irrigation Forum (WIF2). During the event, all key speakers stressed the need to improve and expand irrigation systems to address food shortages and help fight poverty.
Bart Schultz, winner of the second World Irrigation and Drainage Prize and an emeritus professor at Unesco-IHE in the Netherlands, said in his forum speech that the world’s big challenge now was to feed its growing population in the future, while handling the effects of climate change.
“The world population is steadily increasing. If the population is still growing at this pace, there will be 9 billion people by 2055 and more than 10 billion in 2095, compared to the current population of 7 billion people,” Schultz said.
“Most of the population growth will be in Low Development Index [LDI] countries such as the poor nations in Africa and some countries in Asia. In order to feed more people, we need more food, especially in the [next] 25 to 30 years.”
However, he said up to 90 per cent of arable land was already farmland and only 10 per cent of land could be reclaimed to increase food production.
“To solve this problem, we need to double or triple food production in the existing agricultural area and this can be achieved by introduction of irrigation systems in the rain-fed area and modernisation of the system in place, where irrigation already exists,” he said.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) assistant head Kundhavi Kadiresan also said food production must be increased to feed more people in future and that a proper irrigation system was essential for this mission.
“As there is rapid population growth in Asia and Africa, the world needs 60 per cent more food within 2050 in order to feed every empty stomach. Water is needed for boosting food production, but ensuring there is sufficient water is becoming challenging, as climate change shifts the rain pattern and worsens water scarcity,” Kadiresan said.
She said currently 40 per cent of the world’s food was produced from only 20 per cent of irrigated land and the “green revolution”, which saved millions from starvation, was heavily reliant on cheap and reliable sources of water, so water problems could cause food insecurity.
“We cannot solve agricultural problems without considering the water issue. The FAO has declared a global framework for coping with water for agricultural scarcity, solving water conflicts and conserving the ecosystem,” she added.
“We are now closely collaborating with the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage to achieve water security and sustainable food production for the years ahead.”
Royal Irrigation Department chief Sanchai Ketworrachai said they were delighted to host this international event in Thailand and the forum would be very important stage for delegates from around the world to share information and experience, and achieving proper irrigation management for future challenges. “We have set up three objectives for WIF2 – to seek a balance in water management for food, water, energy, and ecosystems; to come out with measures for climate change adaptation; and using irrigation development to fight poverty and hunger,” Sanchai said.