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CONTENTS:
3. World Soil Resources Reports No 97: Land degradation assessment in drylands - the LADA project
5.Guidelines for the Qualitative Assessment of Land Resources and Degradation
6. No. 22 of the FAO Water Report Series "Deficit irrigation practices"
9. IPI research topics No. 23: Fertigation, Fertilisation through irrigation
11. Director of The International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC)
The objective of this conference -which is organised by the Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service (AGLL) of FAO- is to provide an open platform that will enable a wide range of institutions, both governmental, international, scientific and non-governmental to share information and exchange ideas, views and experiences on approaches and methodology for the assessment of soil nutrient depletion and requirements.
The conference is focussed on the developments in the field of nutrient depletion assessment methodology, the applicability of the methods to various agro-ecological and socio-economic situations, and scaling up from micro to macro level, with a view to better articulate and target scale-specific soil fertility-enhancing measures to ensure that the food security policies pursued are sustainable in the longer term.
Participation in the online conference is open to everyone.
For more details and to register see the web site: http://www.fao.org/landandwater/agll/nutrientmining
El Tercer Congreso Latinoamericano de Manejo de Cuencas Hidrográficas que está siendo organizado por la Red Latinoamericana de Cooperación Técnica en Manejo de Cuencas Hidrográficas (REDLACH), en colaboración con la Oficina Regional de la FAO para América Latina y el Caribe y el Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales de Perú (INRENA) se realizará entre los días 9 y 13 de Junio de 2003 en la ciudad de Arequipa, Perú.
Este Congreso esta enmarcado dentro de las principales actividades a desarrollar en la Región en seguimiento de los objetivos del Año Internacional de las Montañas (AIM) 2002, y en celebración del Año Internacional del Agua Dulce, 2003. Tendrá como principal objetivo difundir e intercambiar información, conocimientos y experiencias en manejo de cuencas en los países de la Región. Este Tercer Congreso ayudará en la unificación de un marco conceptual y metodológico aplicable al manejo y conservación de las cuencas hidrográficas en la Región. Se considerarán especialmente temas relacionados con políticas e instituciones, aspectos económicos y de financiamiento, aspectos sociales, ambientales y culturales e instrumentos de gestión dichas áreas.
Considerando su interés en este tema, los organisadores serían muy gratos contar con su participación, así también exortarle a considerar el presentar un trabajo en el que se expongan los avances logrados en materia de investigación, estudios, metodologías y/o proyectos de manejo de cuencas hidrográficas en los que usted haya participado. La información sobre los temas a tratar, el programa, la inclusión de los trabajos, el formulario de preinscripción y demás datos concernientes al Congreso, los podrá encontrar en la Convocatoria al Tercer Congreso que le estamos remitiendo anexa. El sitio web del Congreso www.congresocuencas.inrena.gob.pe estará disponible muy luego.
Por lo antes señalado le agradecería confirmarnos su interés en participar o seguir recibiendo información sobre el Congreso: congresocuencas@fao.org or congresocuencas@inrena.gob.pe
This Congres will take place from 9 - 13 June in Arequipa, Peru. For more information on participation, papers and presentations: www.congresocuencas.inrena.gob.pe or contact congresocuencas@fao.org or congresocuencas@inrena.gob.pe.
This report contains the proceedings of the first stakeholders meeting (January 2002) held by the Land Degradation Assessment in drylands (LADA) project, which aims to develop and validate quantitative reproducible assessment methods to make them widely available and to demonstrate and built capacity for their application in the dryland areas of the world.
Contacts: Parviz Koohafkan parviz.koohafkan@fao.org Freddy Nachtergaele freddy.nachtergaele@fao.org
The PDF version of the above mentioned publication is available at the following address: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/005/y3919e/
4. World Soil Resources Reports No. 98: Quatorzième réunion du sous-comité ouest et centre Africain de corrélation des sols pour la mise en valeur des terres"
Ce rapport est un résumé des résultats présentés lors de la quatorzième Réunion du Sous-Committé ouest et centre africain de corrélation des sols pour la mise en valeur des terres qui s'est tenue à Abomey, République du Bénin du 9 au 13 octobre 2000.
Le thème principal des discussions a porté sur L'utilisation de la Base de référence mondiale nationales et internationales sur ce sujet sont inclues, ainsi qu'un compte rendu des visites de terrain.
Contact: Freddy Nachtergaele freddy.nachtergaele@fao.org
available at ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/misc33.pdf
These guidelines for soil scientists, researchers and decision-makers provide methodologies, tools and software enabling the collection, interpretation and presentation of information on soils and terrain and the status of soil degradation.
Examples are provided of the application of the soils and terrain data (SOTER) and qualitative soil degradation assessment. Soil degradation information can be presented in various maps or tables and include the extend and severity of each type of degradation, using WOCAT software.
The guidelines summarized here were prepared using previous experience gained from the Guidelines on the Global Assessment of Human-induced Soil Degradation (GLASOD), the Guidelines for the Assessment of the Status of Human-induced Soil Degradation in South and Southeast Asia (ASSOD ), and the Guidelines for the Assessment of the Status of Human-induced Soil Degradation in Central and Eastern Europe (SOVEUR).
Contact: Hassan.Nabhan@fao.org
The scope for further irrigation development to meet food requirements in the coming years has been strongly diminished with decreasing water resources and growing competition for clean water. The great challenge for the coming decades will be the task of increasing food production with less water, particularly in countries with limited water and land resources. In the context of improving water productivity, there is a growing interest in Deficit Irrigation, an irrigation practice where water supply is reduced below maximum levels and mild stress is allowed with minimal effects on yield. This publication presents a range of studies, carried out for several crops and different ecological conditions, the various options and practices of deficit irrigation and the impacts of reduced irrigation water supply on crop yield.
Consult the document on-line at: <http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/Y3655E/Y3655E00.HTM>
A PDF version of the document can be downloaded from: <ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/004/y3655e/>
For technical information regarding this document, please contact Martin Smith at: Martin.Smith@fao.org
The Land and Water Development Division of FAO has recently published a CD-ROM on the International E-mail Conference on Irrigation Management Transfer. This conference was jointly organised by the Land and Water Development Division of FAO and the International Network on Participatory Irrigation Management (INPIM) with the support of the Ford Foundation. The purpose of the e-mail conference was to provide a global forum to identify and share key issues and lessons gained from experiences around the world on transferring the management of irrigation. The conference was held from June to October 2001.
The CD-ROM contains all information and documents posted on the conference Web site: www.fao.org/landandwater/aglw/waterinstitutions
8. Bulletin FAO des terres et des eaux No 9: Relations terres-eau dans les bassins versants ruraux. (traduction de l'anglais). ISBN 92-5-204765-4
Il est souvent admis que les utilisations des terres pratiquées en amont ont des impacts importants sur les ressources en eau et influencent les populations en aval à l'échelle du bassin versant. Cependant, les avis sont partagés quant à la direction et à l'ampleur de ces impacts, à la façon dont ils influencent les relations entre les utilisateurs, et aux mécanismes permettant le partage des coûts et bénéfices qui en découlent entre tous les utilisateurs dans le contexte du bassin versant. Pour traiter ces questions, la Division de la mise en valeur des terres et des eaux de la FAO a organisé un atelier électronique du 18 septembre au 27 octobre 2000. La présente publication contient les actes de l'atelier et deux documents qui établissent le cadre des débats. La documentation complète de l'atelier, y compris les comptes rendus des discussions, les documents de base et les études de cas sont disponibles sur le CD joint au document.
Pour plus d'informations concernant cette publication, contacter JeanMarc.Faures@fao.org ou Benjamin.Kiersch@fao.org.
The English version of the document was announced earlier in the FAO Land and Water Newsletter No. 48.
This publication by the international Potash Institute (IPI) discusses the application of fertilisers through pressurised micro irrigation and the consequences this promising water use efficient technique has for the assessment of plant nutrient requirements. Amongst other things, it contains detailed information on how to calculate water and fertiliser requirements and timing.
It is available at the IPI, P.O.Box 1609, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland. www.ipipotash.org or ipi@iprolink.ch
* ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR m/f in Spatial Information for Sustainable Agriculture
Main tasks: (Co-)development of an ITC policy on sustainable agriculture in NRS. Formulate research proposals and conduct research in the field of sustainable agriculture Development and execution of education and advisory services in the field of sustainable agriculture with emphasis on the acquisition, processing and dissemination of spatial information
* ASSISTANT PROFESSOR m/f, in RS/GIS Applications for Food Security
Main tasks: Develop educational material and apply these in teaching programmes, initiate and execute research and conduct advisory services in the field of early warning for food security with emphasis on the acquisition, processing and dissemination of spatial information Develop distance learning materials and internet applications
* ASSISTANT PROFESSOR m/f in Spatial Data Handling for Natural Resource Management.
Main tasks: Develop educational material and lectures and apply these in teaching programmes, execute research and conduct advisory services in spatial data handling for natural resource management applications. Develop distance learning materials and internet applications
Information about these positions can be obtained from Dr. H.G.J. Huizing, Associate Professor, Department of Natural Resources (direct phone +31 53 4874 270) or Prof. Dr. Ir. A. de Gier (direct phone +31 53 4874 309). You can also visit our homepage: http://www.itc.nl
Interested candidates for the position of Associate professor and Assistant professor are invited to send their application and detailed CV before 25 November, 2002 to ITC for the attention of department Personnel & Organization, P.O. Box 6, 7500 AA Enschede, The Netherlands (e-mail:posecretariat@itc.nl)
The Board of ISRIC seeks a full-time DIRECTOR based in Wageningen, the Netherlands, whose tasks will be to * strengthen ISRIC's international outlook and network * encourage application of ICT and Internet facilities * unlock new markets, including development of relevant products * diversify funding, including international donor support.
Applicants should have * leadership qualities and institutional management experience * a relevant international network * experience with international marketing and acquisition * PhD in soil science or related subject * expertise in multi-disciplinary application of soil information * good proficiency in ICT * profound knowledge of English * readiness to learn Dutch within two years, if applicable.
For further information about the position please contact the Chairman of the ISRIC Board: Dr. Stein W. Bie, ISNAR, P.O. Box 93375, 2509 AJ The Hague, the Netherlands, tel.+31 70 349 6206, fax +31 70 381 9677, e-mail: s.bie@cgiar.org. For a full job description please e-mail to: soil@isric.nl.
Written applications including Curriculum Vitae, list of publications, evidence of management experience, current responsibilities, and names of three referees should be sent before 15 December 2002 to Mr. J.H. Kauffman (Secretary of the Selection Advisory Committee), c/o ISRIC, P.O. Box 353, 6700 AJ Wageningen, the Netherlands, e-mail: soil@isric.nl (indicating in the subject line: 'vacancy director').
CONTENTS:
2. 10th Regional Potassium Workshop
3. CD-ROM# 18 - Conservation Agriculture
4. Newsletter of ARID-L, the small-scale irrigation network of ARID
International electronic Conference on prospects for agricultural water use in the 21st Century
A FAO contribution to the debate on sustainable use of water resources
The coming World Food Day (16 October 2002) will be celebrating the important role of water for a healthy and sufficient food production for the world's growing population, under the devise "Water: Source of Food Security". For the Land and Water Development Division of FAO, this will be the start of a series of events to bring the issues related to the sustainable use, development and management of water resources to the forefront of the political debate during the year 2003.
As a first step, FAO will organise, from September to November 2002, an e-mail conference on the theme. This conference is open to all interested parties, stakeholders and experts dealing with water resource development and management for agriculture. Consortium members are particularly encouraged to participate, as the topics which will be discussed are closely related to those concerning the Dialogue on Water, Food and Environment. Global food security is a moral imperative, but it is also a necessary condition to eliminate the "poverty-trap". Poor and food insecure families living in the rural areas often have no alternative than to use their resources unsustainably.
The key-question in this debate is: How can development and management of water resources contribute to Food Security and Poverty Alleviation while conserving the resource base to maintain environmental integrity of natural systems and their inherent productivity?
To deal with these issues in a manageable form, the subject has been split into five sub-themes, as follows: 1. Water for sustainable rural development and poverty alleviation 2. Enhancing productivity of water in agriculture 3. Risk management in agricultural water use 4. Alleviating environmental costs of water resource development 5. Modernisation of irrigation water management
These five sub-themes, will serve as guidelines for the discussions. This activity aims specifically to collect, discuss, analyse and disseminate case studies, examples of success stories, especially at the local level, and on-going research in the field of water management for agriculture and rural development.
If you wish to participate, send an e-mail message to mailserv@mailserv.fao.org leaving the subject blank and entering in the first line of the message the command: subscribe WSFS-L
On evaluation of soil K fertility and rational potash fertilisation, 03.-05. September, 2002 Organised by: The Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Science (ISSCAS) and The International Potash Institute (IPI)
In many parts of the world, fertiliser recommendations are based on the rule of the thumb methods and often lack a systematic approach determining nutrient availability in the soil and requirements by plants. To discuss how soil analyses can improve potassium fertiliser recommendations for crops and cropping systems is the focus of this regional workshop.
Based on numerous collected data and a field trial network covering various provinces which are representative for the most important agro-ecological regions and cropping systems in China the subject will be elaborated in more detail. Basic questions will be raised, e.g., can soil analyses help to predict K fertiliser needs with a higher precision, what are the limitations and which parameters for which crop/cropping systems are needed. Emphasis will be laid on irrigated rice, annual upland food as well as perennial crops, e.g. tree plantations etc. Furthermore, the subject of soil analyses as a monitoring and decision making tool for the fertiliser policy of an area, province or country will be discussed.
The workshop intends to address these issues in four technical sessions and have farmers, scientists, advisors and decision makers in the fertiliser supply and distribution system express their views and exchange experience in this important field. Invited are all interested persons who would like to contribute with their knowledge to an improved nutrient recommendation system. The organisers also welcome persons, especially from the fertiliser production and distribution sector who are interested in getting more information about the current and future fertilisation practices of the region.
Location: Changsha, Capital of Hunan Province, P.R. China Venue: Hunan Hua Tian Great Hotel
Contact: International Potash Institute, C/o D. Rolf Härdter, Coordinator East/SE Asia Tel. +49-561-9301-2339: Fax. +49-561-9301-1416: E-mail: rolf.haerdter@kali-gmbh.com www.ipipotash.org
This new CD-ROM contains detailed information and literature about Conservation Agriculture to improve the knowledge base of those interested in this concept of sustainable agriculture. It will provide technical staff as well as policy- and decision -makers with information and arguments that will help to support, promote and introduce Conservation Agriculture.
For more information please contact:
Land and Water (AGLL): jose.benites@fao.org Mechanization (AGSE): theodor.friedrich@fao.org Crops (AGPC): thomas.bachmann@fao.org Animal Production (AGAP): manuel.sanchez@fao.org or click http://www.fao.org/landandwater/lwdms.stm#cd18
The Small-Scale Irrigation Network ARID-L is an initiative of ARID, the Regional Association for Irrigation and Drainage in West and Central Africa. The Network provides the following products and services: (1) a bilingual discussion list; (2) a newsletter, available in French and English; and (3) a web site with information on organisations, projects and documents on small-scale irrigation in West and Central Africa: http://www.eier.org/arid/. Previous issues can be read online at http://www.eier.org/arid/lettres.htm or http://www.hipponet.nl/arid-l/lettres.htm. For background information see http://www.eier.org/arid/home.htm. Contributions and feedback: mailto: ARID-L-moderator@mailserv.fao.org or directly to the discussion list arid-l@mailserv.fao.org .
CONTENTS:
1. LAND-WATER LINKAGES IN RURAL WATERSHEDS LAND AND WATER BULLETIN 9
2. GLOBAL AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY: METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
3. ONLINE CONFERENCE ON ORGANIC RECYCLING: ON-FARM COMPOSTING METHODS MAY-AUGUST 2002
4. LAND MANAGEMENT, FOOD SECURITY AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN DRYLANDS EXPERT CONSULTATION
6. TECHNOLOGY FOR CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE ON-LINE DATABASE
7. CONFERENCE: WATER FOR THE AMERICAS IN THE XXI CENTURY MEXICO CITY, 8-11 OCTOBER 2002
It is often assumed that upstream land use practices have important impacts on water resources and affect the downstream people at a watershed scale. Payments by downstream people to upstream people for "environmental services" such as good water quality, less sediments or more regular water flow are widely discussed. Much controversy exists about the direction and magnitude of such impacts, how they influence the relations between upstream and downstream people, and which mechanisms allow for a sharing of resulting benefits and costs by all resource users in a watershed context. To address these issues, the FAO Land and Water Development Division organised the electronic workshop "Land-Water Linkages in Rural Watersheds" from 18 September to 27 October 2000.
The publication contains the proceedings of the workshop and two papers which set the stage for the workshop discussions. The complete workshop documentation, including discussion archive, background papers, and case studies, are included on the CD-ROM that accompanies the volume.
For technical queries, and information on how to receive a copy of this publication, please contact Benjamin Kiersch
or download it free of charge at http://www.fao.org/landandwater/watershed
Land-water linkages in rural watersheds
FAO Land and Water Bulletin 9
80 p. + CD-ROM
ISBN 92-5-104765-0
ISSN 1024-6703
To order this publication, send a request to
Publication
Sales
or visit FAO's interactive Publications Catalogue
This publication, in book and CD-ROM format, updates and
complements the (Global Agro-ecological Zones Website) and CD-ROM
(FAO Land and Water Digital Media Series # 11). It includes
worked-out applications, in particular with regard to
- the potential for regional food production as compared to
increasing food requirements of growing populations and
- scenarios of climate change.
With a foreword from Louise Fresco and Arne Jernelóv.
FAO/International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
(IIASA) 2002
Global Agro-ecological Assessment for Agriculture in the 21st
Century: Methodology and Results.
IIASA Research Report RR-02-02.
IIASA, Laxenburg Austria.
119 p with CD ROM.
For more information or to obtain a copy, please contact Freddy Nachtergaele.
The objective of the Conference is to provide an open platform that will enable a wide range of institutions/agencies, including national and international bodies; governmental and non-governmental organizations; research institutes/universities; and development organizations to share information and exchange ideas, views and experiences about on-farm composting methods, especially rapid composting.
The conference is intended to have on-hand information about the latest developments in the field of rapid composting, the applicability of the methods to various agro-ecological and socio-economic situations and finally assist in the promotion of appropriate technology.
Participation in the online conference is open to everyone. The conference is open from May to August 2002.
For more details and to register, please see the web site:
http://www.fao.org/landandwater/agll/compost
or contact Rabindra Roy.
The Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service (AGLL) of FAO would like to invite you to participate in an Electronic Expert Consultation on "Land Management, Food Security and Carbon Sequestration in Drylands"" .
This consultation is an activity of the joint FAO/Global Mechanism Programme on "Carbon Sequestration Incentive Mechanisms to Combat Land Degradation and Desertification".
The consultation will be conducted via Internet. Its purpose is to identify the critical issues and potential for soil rehabilitation and soil carbon sequestration under different land use types and management practices in agricultural drylands. It will be used for further data collection related to soil carbon sequestration and to institutions involved.
The consultation website contains a concise and straightforward questionnaire, background materials and links to sites with related documents.
The consultation is open until to 30 June 2002.
Participants and their institutions will be co-authors and will receive the report produced with the information gathered through the questionnaire. All concerned will also be kept informed about other achievements and outputs of the Programme.
To register through internet, please open the following
site:
http://www.natgeo.lu.se/carbonform
If you wish to participate through e-mail, fax or post, please
send a blank e-mail to
carbon.eng@iis.natgeo.lu.se
and you will automatically receive the questionnaire as a text
file.
The aim of the workshop, jointly ofganized by FAO and the
Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Soja (CNPSO / EMBRAPA) is to
provide a dynamic forum for
- discussing the concepts and practices of integrated soil
management,
- sharing successful experiences of soil biological management
and
- identifying priorities for action.
This should include assessment and the identification and
promotion of appropriate mechanisms to mobilise the widespread
adoption of improved management practices that enhance soil
quality and ecological functions.
For more information on the workshop, and to participate,
visit the workshop website
http://www.cnpso.embrapa.br/workshopfao
or contact the organizers: Adriana Montanez.
Dr. George G. Brown
Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Soja, Cnpso
Rod. Carlos João Strass, acesso Orlando Amaral
CP: 231
Londrina-PR
86001-970, Brasil
Tel: 55-(43) 371-6231
Fax: 55-(43) 371-6100
E-mail:browng@cnpso.embrapa.br.
A specialized database for equipment to be used under Conservation Agriculture can now be accessed at
For the successful implementation of Conservation Agriculture, special equipment is needed for planting and residue handing. Such equipment has already been developed and is manufactured and solid but only in certain locations and therefor it is not yet universally available.
The Conservation Agriculture Technology database lists commercially available equipment which is specifically designed or is essential for the successful introduction of Conservation Agriculture. Particular importance is given to small scale equipment. The database addresses the needs of farmers, extension staff, technicians and others involved in Conservation Agriculture projects.
Manufacturers can subscribe themselves free of charge and display their equipment on that database.
For further information, please contact Theodor Friedrich.
The forum "Water for the Americas in the XXI Century" will be
held in Mexico City, October 8 to 11, 2002. The forum’s
main ´s goals are to:
- Adopt and implement the World Water Vision in the American
Continent and the corresponding action framework
- Analyze the water resources situation, in accordance with the
particularities of the Americas.
- Share strategies and case studies for a sustainable water use
in the Americas
- Participate in the elaboration of the Americas’ Regional
Vision that will be presented in the Third World Water Forum in
Japan, 2003.
For more information about this event, please visit
http://sgp.cna.gob.mx/financiamiento/evento_2002/index_aa.htm
or contact:
Fausto Medel Velázquez
Comisión Nacional del Agua de Mexico
Gerencia de Financiamiento
Tel. (+52-5) 53-22-24-00 ext 6638
Correo-e: fausto.medelv@cna.gob.mx.
CONTENTS:
Activities and publications:
1. LAND-WATER LINKAGES IN RURAL WATERSHEDS WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS AND CASE STUDY SERIES ON THE WEB
2. FAO's AQUASTAT WEBSITE IMPROVED AND EXTENDED
3. INFORMACION SOBRE TIERRAS Y AGUAS PARA UN DESARROLLO AGRICOLA SOSTENIBLE IN AMERICA LATINA
4. GATEWAY TO LAND AND WATER INFORMATION SEVEN NEW COUNTY REPORTS AVAILABLE ON-LINE
International conferences:
Training course:
Vacancy announcement:
In September / October 2000, the FAO Land and Water Development Division organized the electronic workshop "Land-Water Linkages in Rural Watersheds" to discuss impacts of upstream land use practices on water resources and their effects on downstream people, as well as mechanisms to share resulting benefits and costs by resource users in a watershed context.
Conclusions and a synthesis report of the workshop are now available for download (ZIP format, 300 KB) HERE.
Furthermore, the Land Water Linkages Case Study Series has
been launched documenting experiences with
- economic valuation of hydrologic and sediment-related impacts
of land use;
- cooperation mechanisms to share the resulting benefits and
costs between upstream and downstream people in rural
watersheds.
Currently, five case studies are available from Brazil, Colombia,
Costa Rica, and Ecuador.
The complete workshop documentation and the case studies can be accessed at http://www.fao.org/landandwater/watershed
The proceedings will shortly also be available in print in the FAO Land and Water Bulletin series. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the proceedings, please send an e-mail indicating your complete mailing address to Benjamin Kiersch.
AQUASTAT is FAO's global information system of water and agriculture. The objective of AQUASTAT is to provide users with comprehensive information on the state of agricultural water management across the world, with emphasis on developing countries and countries in transition.
The AQUASTAT website currently comprises the following main
categories:
1) Database - Online data on water and agriculture by countries
with as subjects: land use, population, water resources, water
use, land under irrigation, irrigation techniques, source of
irrigation water, drainage-environment, and irrigated crops and
intensification.
2) Country profiles - Standardised text by country
3) Regional overviews - Standardised text by region, summary
tables and maps.
4) GIS data - Spatial data on water resources and irrigation,
which can be viewed or downloaded in ArcView format for
Africa.
5) Water resource - Detailed data on renewable water resources by
country
6) Institutions - Online database of national and regional
institutions.
7) Glossary - Online database on definition of variables.
You are welcome to explore the new features of the AQUASTAT-website.
For feedback and questions please contact: aquastat@fao.org
La Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe informe sobre el recién finalizado Proyecto "Información sobre Tierras y Aguas para un Desarrollo Agrícola Sostenible" en el marco del Manejo de los Recursos Naturales".
Los objetivos generales del Proyecto eran:
- Mejorar la capacidad de los países participantes para
conservar sus recursos naturales, tomando en cuenta la
política agraria, el manejo de tierras y aguas, y la
participación campesina;
- Efectuar una evaluación agroecológica y
socioeconómica del potencial productivo de la tierra y
proporcionar información al proceso de
planificación;
- Fortalecer y mejorar la capacidad técnica de los
organismos nacionales en el manejo de información
integral.
Uno de los principales resultados del Proyecto fue el esquema metodológico para generar Sistemas de información de Recursos de Tierra para la Planificación "SIRTPLAN", el cual fue diseñado para apoyar la toma de decisiones en el manejo y uso de las tierras.
Para más información, visite el sitio web del proyecto
o contactese con Jacques Antoine y Jan van Wambeke.
Since the end of February, the following country reports have
been added in the Gateway to Land and Water Information:
- Uzbekistan
- Turkey
- Lebanon
- Tanzania
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Samoa
To access these reports, please visit the Gateway website
Furthermore, a Gateway brochure is now available. It summarizes the Gateway information systems including the functions, guidelines and common content (checklist items) of the country reports.
For more information, and to receive a copy of the brochure, please contact Sachimine Masui.
The Agadir Conference on Irrigation Water Policies is a joint effort of the Government of Morocco and several international organizations, including FAO.
Practitioners and researchers from throughout the world will share views and experiences on water pricing, cost recovery and the interactions between micro and macro policies related to water and irrigation. Participants represent government ministries, academia, NGOs, and donor organizations.
The conference will include presentations, roundtable discussions, and field trips.
Further information regarding the programme and registration is available at the conference’s website
or contact the conference secretariat:
Professor Rachid DOUKKALI
Chair, Dept of Social Sciences, IAEVH Hassan II
Tel. 212 37 77 74 35
Fax 212 27 77 74 93
E-mail: mr.doukkali@iav.ac.ma
The Capri 2002 Conference is jointly organized by the
Associazione Idrotecnica Italiana, Centro Studi Deflussi Urbani,
International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, Hydraulic
Research Centre for the Environment, and theUniversita' di Napoli
"Federico II" The main goal of the is to break the narrow
boundaries among different disciplines, encouraging
interdisciplinary studies and exchange of information. Sessions
include
- Water resources management
- Protection from water-related threats
- Urban Hydraulics
For more information regarding the programme and registration please visit the conference website or contact info@capri2002.com.
You are invited to participate in the second e-conference on: Successes and Failures in Gender Mainstreaming in Integrated Water Resource Management. This is the second in a series of three e-conferences on mainstreaming gender in water management. It will be open until May 21. This e-conference will concentrate on case studies of experiences, and participants will share their successes and failures. The goal is to analyze and use this experience to create policies and practices that work.
The e-conferences are run by the Gender and Water Alliance, an alliance of 120 organizations working in the area of water, information and gender. Its aim is to promote effective policy and practice on mainstreaming gender issues in water management.
The conference is held in four languages. Each language uses the same agenda and the summaries of each language e-conference are published for all participants to read. To subscribe to the English-language discussion, write to listserv@nic.surfnet.nl.
In the message area write Subscribe WATER YOURFIRSTNAME YOURLASTNAME
To subscribe to the French-language discussion, write to:
genre_eau-subscribe@yahoogroupes.fr
To subscribe to the Spanish-language discussion, write to:
genero-agua-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the Portuguese-language discussion, write
to:
gwa-e-conference-port-subscribe@yahoogrupos.com.br
For more information, please visit the Gender and Water Alliance web site or contact Lin Pugh.
The Egyptian National Committee for Hydrology and Water
Resources is organizing a six weeks postgraduate training course
on environmental hydrology for arid and semi-arid regions. The
course will be held at the Hydraulics Research Institute at Delta
Barrage, Egypt. Topics include:
- Hydrometeorology
- GIS application in Hydrology
- Floods and flood control
- Water resources engineering
- Water quality protection
The course fee is US$ 2000. A limited number of fellowships are available.
For more information, and to register, contact
Prof. Dr. Mohamed El-Moattassem
Course Coordinator
Hydraulics Research Institute
Delta Barrage 13621, Egypt
Tel. (202) 218-8268
Fax. (202) 218-3450
E-mail: rtc@hri-egypt.com;
draulics@intouch.com
Ref.no. DOW 02-10
Closing date: 12 May 2002
The Irrigation and Water Engineering Group (IWEG) at Wageningen University is looking for a university lecturer to develop and transfer knowledge about field irrigation methods, about farmers' practices of managing water and about interventions to increase water efficiency and productivity.
As a specialist in the area of field irrigation methods you have acquired extensive experience in various agro-ecological zones. Your ability to teach and interest to learn enriched your engagements with farmers and students. You are a team player who thinks and works at PhD-level. A well-developed network is your link to expertise.
For more information please contact
ir. Bert Bruins
Irrigation and Water Engineering Group
Department of Environmental Sciences
Wageningen University
Nieuwe Kanaal 11
6709 PA Wageningen
The Netherlands
Phone (31) 317 - 483706
email: Bert.Bruins@users.tct.wau.nl
Applications
You can send your application letter and C.V. to
Wageningen University
Department of Environmental Sciences
Attn. Mrs. Loes van der Loos
Ritzemabosweg 32A
6703 AZ Wageningen
The Netherlands You can also apply via email: Loes.vanderLoos@bur.slm.wau.nl
CONTENTS:
New publications on land and water management
1. THE ECONOMICS OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE
2. GLOBAL ESTIMATES OF GASEOUS EMISSIONS OF NH3, NO AND N2O FROM AGRICULTURAL LAND
Current activities
4. FAO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE ON LIVESTOCK IN CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE OPEN UNTIL 29 MARCH
News from other organizations
5. INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT TOOL
6. NOMINATIONS FOR WATSAVE AWARDS 2002 INVITED
Conservation agriculture is an innovative approach for improving resource use in sustainable production. Its benefits include reduced inputs, more stable yields, improved soil nutrient exchange and enhanced long-run profitability. This study examines the financial and non-financial factors that affect the adoption and success of conservation agriculture at farm, national and global levels. Conscious of the possible divergence between private and social interests, it highlights the importance of farmers’ objectives and motives, the collective dimension and the role of policy. In calling for improved policy analysis and information for decision-making, it recommends the development of sustainability indicators and a whole-farm approach to analysis.
For technical information on this publication, and for information on how to obtain a copy of the report, please contact Tanja van den Bergen
or download it free of charge (PDF format, 1 MB) from: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/ecconsagr.pdf
Economics of conservation agriculture, (The)
Rome, 2001, 74 pp.
ISBN 92-5-104687-5
To order this publication, send a request to
Publication
Sales
or visit FAO's interactive Publications Catalogue
Plants take up only 50 percent of the nitrogen fertilizer applied to agricultural land. From this inefficiency, gaseous ammonia, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide emissions result. Quantifying these emissions is important, both to improve fertilizer use efficiency and because of their influence on ecosystems. This report provides a comprehensive literature review about these emissions. It examines regulating factors, measurement techniques and models. It generates global emissions estimates that can serve as a basis for further addressing the issues of both efficiency and environmnetal impact.
For technical information on this publication, and for information on how to obtain a copy of the report, please contact Tanja van den Bergen
Global estimates of gaseous emissions of NH3, NO and N2O from
agricultural land
Rome, 2001, 106 pp.
ISBN 92-5-104689-1
To order this publication, send a request to
Publication
Sales
or visit FAO's interactive Publications Catalogue
Uno de los objetivos de la Dirección de Fomento de Tierras y Aguas (AGL) es aliviar los problemas que afrontan muchos países con relación a la baja productividad de los suelos y la insostenibilidad en el uso de la tierra. Dicha entidad persigue este objetivo mediante la promoción, inter alia, del manejo integrado de la nutrición vegetal, el mejoramiento de la fertilidad y un manejo seguro de los suelos, así como la conservación del agua y los suelos. Por tanto, una tarea importante de la dirección es proporcionar directrices para la planificación segura y eficaz del manejo de la tierra, el agua y los recursos nutritivos de las plantas en la agricultura.
Con este fin, esta guía técnica ofrece algunos aspectos para la proyección eficaz de la nutrición vegetal mejorada, la fertilidad y el manejo de los suelos (relacionado con la selección de prácticas adecuadas de manejo a través de la experimentación a nivel de fincas). La guía proporciona opciones a los investigadores para la selección de los lugares, los tratamientos, su disposición, diseños experimentales y métodos de análisis. El documento también ofrece metodologías para la interpretación de resultados y el esbozo de conclusiones, así como para la formulación de recomendaciones basadas en estas últimas. Además, hace énfasis en la importancia de completar todas las fases de experimentación, incluyendo el análisis, las conclusiones y recomendaciones al final de cada campaña y antes del próximo cultivo.
Para más información sobre la publicación y para obtener una copia, dirijese a: Walter Burgos Leon
Este documento puede ser descargado sin costo (formato PDF, 1.5 MB) desde ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/misc26s.pdf
Para ordenar esta publicación dirijese a la
Oficina de Venta de
Publicaciones
o visite el catálogo de las publicaciones de la
FAO
The conversion of traditional agriculture into Conservation Agriculture (CA) is happening at accelerating rate in many countries around the world. Domestic animals are essential to CA providing draft power, means of conversion to value-added products, a justification for crop rotation and path for efficient nutrient recycling. However, in some cases the presence of animals is an initial impediment for crop residue management. The main issues for the successful integration of animal production into systems with CA will be discussed in this global electronic conference.
The main themes of discussion are:
Contributions as full (10-15 pages) or short (1-3 pages) articles will be welcome, as well as questions and comments. Articles are being distributed to the list in English and Spanish. Accepted articles and comments in Portuguese and French will be translated into English and Spanish. Comments will also be distributed to the list in the original language.
Dates: 4 February to 29 March 2002
The conference is run as moderated e-mail list.
To subscribe to the conference send a message to:
mailserv@mailserv.fao.org
and write in the body of the mail:
subscribe Animal-CA-L
The conference can also be followed on the internet: http://www.fao.org/prods/cams/user/default.asp
For submissions of articles, questions and suggestions please contact M. Sánchez, livestock expert of the FAO Group on conservation agriculture, at Manuel Sanchez
The integrated water resources management (IWRM) Tool Box, launched at the Bonn conference in December 2001 by the Global Water Partnership (GWP), draws together a wealth of experience and expertise in IWRM in one practical, user-friendly product. The Tool Box contains a wide variety of options related to three fundamental elements of IWRM, the enabling environment, institutional roles, and management instruments. To complement this information, case studies on IWRM practices from real life experiences provided by GWP partners and others are included. Brief notes providing analysis of the actions taken and the lessons learned accompany each case study. References, links, and resource persons to contact for further information and advice are also listed in the Tool Box.
For more information and to access the IWRM Tool Box please visit http://www.gwpforum.org
The International Commission for Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) is inviting nominations for the 2002 WatSave awards. The awards have been instituted to recognize outstanding contributions of professionals to water saving/conservation for sustainable irrigated agriculture. One award is presented in each of the three categories:
The awards will be presented at the annual meetings of the International Executive Council (IEC) of ICID. Each Award carries a prize money of US$ 2000 for the year 2002 and a Citation.
Nominations for the WatSave Awards 2002 are invited from individuals and teams. Nominations must be received by 30 April 2002.
Conditions and Criteria for the Awards and a Nomination Form may be obtained from the ICID website: http://www.icid.org.
or by contacting icid@icid.org
International Potash Institute (IPI) Research Topics No.
22
by U. Kafkafi, G. Xu, P. Imas, H. Magen and J. Tarchitzky
Potassium chloride (MOP) is the major potash fertilizer used in agriculture. Those who use MOP are well aware of the beneficial effects that potassium, in concert with other essential nutrients, has on yield, quality and stress resistance of crops. However, there is still widespread imbalance in potash use with negative potassium balances in many cropping systems in most regions of the world. The accompanying element in MOP, the chloride ion, is an essential plant nutrient required in small amounts, but concern is sometimes raised about its role in soil salinity.
The publication describes in detail the functions of potassium and chloride in the plant and hence their importance in crop production. The booklet also discusses the behaviour of potassium and chloride in soils, how best to manage the use of MOP in both dry land and irrigated cropping systems, and how to minimize salinity effects due to chloride. It can serve as a reference for soil and plant scientists, advisors and fertilizer planners.
For more information conact
International Potash Institute, IPI
Schneidergasse 27, PO Box 1609
CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 61 261 29 25
E-mail: ipi@IPIpotash.org
Or visit: http://www.ipipotash.org
CONTENTS:
FAO publications on land and water management:
3. EL FUTURO DE NUESTRA TIERRA: ENFRENTANDO EL DESAFIO DISPONIBLE ON-LINE
4. DRAINAGE AND SUSTAINABILITY IPTRID ISSUES PAPER 3
5. SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION FOR IMPROVED LAND MANAGEMENT WORLD SOIL RESOURCES REPORT
Activities of the Land and Water Development Division
6. OUTCOMES OF THE LAND DEGRADATION ASSESSMENT IN DRYLANDS (LADA) MEETING 23-25 JANUARY 2002
News from other organizations:
10. HISTORICAL DAMS NEW PUBLICATION BY ICID
Vacancy announcement:
11. RESEARCHER/KNOWLEDGE BASE MANAGER, DIALOGUE SECRETARIAT IWMI, COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
The Water Resources Management Team of the FAO Sub-Regional
Office for Southern and East Africa (FAO-SAFR) in Harare,
Zimbabwe, is publishing an Irrigation Manual, called "Planning,
Development, Monitoring & Evaluation of Irrigated Agriculture
with Farmer Participation". The manual is directed to Irrigation
Engineers and the material covered is expected to support both
national and regional training programmes on planning, design,
construction, operation & maintenance and on-farm water
management of irrigation schemes. It is a result of several years
of training of irrigation engineers and fieldwork in the
sub-region. The manual consists of fourteen modules, each on a
specific aspect of the irrigation engineering process:
Module 8: Sprinkler irrigation systems: Planning, design,
operation and maintenance has just been published as the first
part in the series.
Copies of this module are available at a nominal charge of US$
10, including handling and postage.
For more information on this series, or to request a copy of the
module, please send a message to:
Andreas Savva or Karen Frenken
En collaboration avec le PNUE et GTZ, la FAO a
élaboré un cadre de planification
amélioré pour le développement et la gestion
des ressources en terres qui aborde les problèmes
identifiés au cours de la Conférence des Nations
Unies sur l'environnement et le développement tenue
à Rio de Janeiro (Brésil) en 1992.
Ce document est le dernier d'une série de trois
publications introduisant ces nouveaux concepts et proposant une
approche intégrée de la planification pour la
gestion durable des ressources en terres; la base de cette
approche est un partenariat interactif entre gouvernements et
populations. L'approche est centrée sur le concept des
"intéressées" et de leur objectifs et sur le
rôle du gouvernement qui doit créer les conditions
au sein desquelles les populations rurales peuvent utiliser leurs
terres de manière productive et durable. Plusieurs
exemples issus de différents projets dans le monde entier
illustrent l'importance de certains
éléments-clés de l'approche; elle doit
créer un environnement favorable permettant d'aborder la
problématique commune de la gestion durable des terres
pour le bien des générations présentes et
à venir.
Un CD ROM contenant plusieurs publications et documents et des
images des populations du Sahel en lutte contre la
désertification accompagne cette publication.
Pour toute information technique, veuillez contacter: Freddy Nachtergaele
Vous pouvez télécharger ce document (format PDF, 1
MB) de: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/futlandf.pdf
Pour commander cette publication, envoyez un e-mail à
Publication Sales
ou visitez le site internet catalogue interactif des publications.
La publicación está ahora disponible para
descargar sín costo (formato PDF, 1 MB) desde
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/futlands.pdf
Para más información sobre la
publicación,
haga click aquí
o contactese con Freddy Nachtergaele
In the framework of the Kyoto Protocol, carbon sequestration
to mitigate the greenhouse effect in the terrestrial ecosystem
has been an important subject of discussion in numerous recent
international meetings and reports. To increase carbon
sequestration in soils in the dryland and tropical areas, as a
contribution to global atmospheric CO2 mitigation, new strategies
and new practices in agriculture, pasture use and forestry,
including conservation agriculture, agroforestry, are essential.
Such practices should be facilitated particularly by the
application of article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol or similar
provision in post-Kyoto treaty covering the additional activities
in agriculture and forestry in the developing countries and by
appropriate policies and should be widely promoted.
The present report focuses on the specific role that soils of
tropical and dryland areas can play in carbon sequestration and
on the land management strategies involved. A review is made of
carbon dynamics and the fundamental role of organic matter in
soil.Some proposals are made concerning good land management
practices for croplands, pastures and agroforestry in order to
promote carbon sequestration; a priority being its application to
degraded lands. A method for monitoring and verifying the changes
both in C sequestration and in the degree of degradation is
proposed based on a soil-monitoring network.
For technical information concerning this publication, and
information on how to obtain a copy, please send a message to
Jacques Antoine
or download it free of charge (PDF format, 1.5 MB) from
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/wsrr96e.pdf
To order this publication, send a request to
Publication
Sales
or visit FAO's interactive Publications Catalogue
The purpose of this paper is to promote recognition of the
crucial contribution that land drainage can make towards
sustainable agriculture by reducing the negative effects of human
activities on the environment and improving rural health
conditions, and to emphasize the need for higher investment in
land-drainage projects. It aims to provide a logical argument for
ensuring that drainage is considered in plans for new
agricultural development projects or rehabilitation of existing
projects. With regard to the environment, drainage must be seen
as contributing to equilibrium between productive agriculture and
nature conservation. Drainage plays an important role in
improving the health and well-being of the rural population by
reducing the incidence of water-borne diseases. The role of
drainage in agriculture is considered in three major climate
types: arid and semi-arid areas, humid and subhumid tropics and
temperate zones.
For technical information regarding this document, please
contact
Harry Denecke
The publication can be downloaded from
http://www.fao.org/iptrid/is_pa_03/is_pa_03.htm
or request a copy from the
IPTRID Secretariat, FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
E-mail: iptrid@fao.org
The Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service hosted a three
day meeting (Rome 23 - 25th January 2002) to discuss technical
and operational issues related to the land degradation assessment
in dryland (LADA) project. All aspects of land degradation
assessments and the need for stakeholder-driven rehabilitation
were addressed in a number of presentations, and specific country
experiences in land degradation assessment and rehabilitation
were highlighted by representatives of Senegal, India, China,
Brazil and Tunisia. Regional initiatives presented included soil
erosion risk mapping in the Mediterranean region, the European
Soil Monitoring network and Landcare Australia.
The technical advisory group for the project concluded that :
Concrete outputs of the LADA project include
A web site of the LADA meeting where the proceedings and
presentations will be collected is accessible at:
http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/lada/
For more information contact
Parviz
Koohafkan
The Sixth International Seminar on Participatory Irrigation
Management, organized by the International Network on
Participatory Irrigation Management (INPIM) in cooperation with
China's Ministry of Water Resources, the World Bank and the World
Bank Institute, will be held in Beijing, China, April 21-26,
2002. The theme is "Institutional Options for User Participation
in Irrigation and Drainage Management". The seminar will
highlight diverse experiences from both host country China and
INPIM members.
For more information on the seminar, and registration
information, please visit
http://www.inpim.org
or contact:
INPIM
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Suite 340
Washington, DC 20003, USA
Telephone: 202-546-7005
Fax 1 202-318-0215
Email: info@inpim.org
The International Course on Institutions in Water Management
focuses on the technical and institutional issues that are
involved in establishing, improving, and managing participatory
Water Management Organisations and their operations. The Course
is organised by ILRI in cooperation with various Dutch Water
Boards.
After completing the Course, the participants will be able
to:
For more information on the course, please visit
http://www.ilri.nl
or contact:
Henk Hoeve
International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement
P.O.Box 47
6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Tel.+31 317 495580
E-mail: h.hoeve@ilri.agro.nl
Tropical and subtropical areas hold great agricultural
potentials and meanwhile are treasures of biological and
ecological diversity, but irrational land use and exploitation
threatens tropical soil and land resource into degradation.
Rational land utilization requires comprehensive planning, layout
and policies, in accord with the natural and socio-economic
conditions.
The workshop provides a forum for professionals, planers and land
users, to present their understandings and experiences of
sustainable land management of the different parts of the world.
It is also prepared for the dissemination of the knowledge
acquired from various development programmes and exchange of the
recent progress of land management planning, especially that of
tropical and subtropical areas. The symposium is linked with 12th
Conference of the International Soil Conservation Organization
(ISCO) in Beijing (http://www.swcc.org.cn/isco2002/index.htm )
Deadline for registration and abstract submission: February 28,
2002
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Ganlin Zhang
SLMT Symposium secretary
Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
P.O.Box 821, East Beijing Road 71
Nanjing 210008, China
Fax: +86 (0)25 3353590
Email: glzhang@issas.ac.cn
The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID)
has brought out a History publication "Historical Dams" edited by
Dr. Henning Fahlbusch, Chairman, ICID Working Group on History of
Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control. The book comprises 19
chapters contributed by eminent international experts and
historians.
This publication presents not only the history of dams,
historical dams, and the history of development of technologies
for various types of dams, but it also highlights the skills and
techniques deployed by the builders since old times.
For more information on this book, please visit
http://www.icid.org
or contact
International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID)
48 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110021, India
Tel : 91-11-6116837, 91-11-6115679
Fax : 91-11-6115962
E-Mail : icid@icid.org
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is looking
for a knowledge base manager in the Secretariat of the Dialogue
on Water for Food and Environment (DWFE), an internationally
supported program based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Secretariat's
function is to promote and coordinate dialogue activities of the
consortium partners, establish and maintain contacts with donor
and client agencies, build a knowledge base and synthesize
experience from local action groups. The main task of this
assignment is to develop and manage the knowledge base. The
knowledge base manager will work closely with IWMI research
staff, in particular those implementing the Comprehensive
Assessment Program, and also with key dialogue partners.
For further information about necessary qualifications and
experience, renumeration, and application procedures, please
visit
http://www.iwmi.org
or contact
Adviser for Human Resources
IWMI
P.O. Box 2075
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Fax (94-1) 786854
E-mail: s.amarasuriya@cgiar.org
Applications will be accepted until 23rd February 2002 or until
the position is filled.