1. Governance – identifying and addressing structural and policy impediments to the adoption of better irrigation practices
While the best of our farmers will adopt better/best irrigation practices (systems and management) in spite of the structural and policy impediments before them, others may find these impediments daunting and will benefit from an improved structural and policy environment which facilitates the adoption of better irrigation systems, suitable infrastructure and management within an Environmental, Social, Governance context and the relevant Sustainable Development Goals.
How has your region/country met this challenge in identifying these structural and policy impediments, what actions have been taken and what are the results?
If you are a practitioner operating in an urban/ open space environment, how have you tackled policy challenges to try to support more modern and sustainable irrigation practices?
In particular, what are the challenges and opportunities still in front of you? This conference is a joint learning activity and delegates will get as much out of the experiences gained from failures as success stories.
2. Investment – fit-for-purpose and cost-effective technologies which support end users to implement sustainable irrigation practices (Environmental, Social, Governance)
The terms ‘fit-for-purpose’ and ‘cost effective’ will imply different things in different parts of the Asian Pacific Region. Moving farmers up from subsistence farming does not require them to begin to use the best irrigation systems available – be it centre pivot/lateral move irrigators or micro-irrigation systems or remote sensed crop water demand – but may imply use of these technologies elsewhere. Whatever the irrigation system in use, they can often benefit from improved management.
What fit-for-purpose and cost-effective technologies (systems and management) are applicable to your region/country?
What have been the results (positive or negative) of this investment?
What has facilitated this investment?
How has this investment in technology demonstrated capacity to adapt to climate change – for example a future with more episodic rainfall and uncertainty, meaning a potential need for alternative sources including recycled water and desalination.
If you are a practitioner operating in an urban/ open space environment, how has your choice of technologies and systems supported continued irrigation practices in a likely drying environment?
3. Capacity development – ensuring that end users can access and adapt knowledge and systems to support sustainable irrigation practices.
In the broader sense, capacity development is more than just turning information into knowledge which is then used in sustainable irrigated food production. It is also about being able to access improved irrigation systems and management techniques. The target audiences need to be all groups involved in the irrigated agriculture sector including intermediaries (services industries and retailers), policy developer and implementors and end users.
How has your region/country used Water User Associations or other social or technology groupings to build capacity of farmers?
What other methodologies have been successful or not successful and why? What tools and techniques have you used to lead to success?
Again, delegates will want to learn from real case studies including where capacity development has successfully been linked with best practice governance. What organisational structures – self-managed districts, co-operatives, government-owned systems have best supported
sustainable practices?
For urban/ open space – how do you ensure the most efficient operation and maintenance of systems and continuous development for operators?
