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IN THIS ISSUE:
Announcements:
1. The E-Network on Strategic Planning and Management of Water Resources in Asia and the Pacific
2. The Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (CA)
3. The Virtual Centre for Water in Agriculture
4. Fertilizer in small doses (reporting on an FAO project)
5. Irrigation Manual for irrigation practitioners
6. Fertilizer use by crop in the Islamic Republic of Iran
7. Management of Irrigated-Induced Salt-Affected Soils
8. FAO Land and Water Bulletin No. 10 - Integrated soil and water management for orchard development: Role and importance
9. FAO Land and Water Bulletin No. 11 - Drought-resistant soils: Optimization of soil moisture for sustainable plant production
10. Boletín de Suelos de la FAO No. 79 - Optimización de la humedad del suelo para la producción vegetal: El significado de la porosidad del suelo
11. FAO Soil Bulletin No. 80 - The importance of soil organic matter: Key to drought resistant soil and sustained food production
12. Online Database on Capacity Development for Water in Agriculture
13. Integrated Nutrient Management - A trilingual on-line glossary of terms
14. FAO Information Portal - Management and Properties of Drylands
1. The E-Network on Strategic Planning and Management of Water Resources in Asia and the Pacific: Strategic Planning for Integrated Land and Water Resources management.
The E-Network is a joint initiative of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). The mission of the E-network is to promote implementation of strategic planning and management methodologies for effective integrated land and water resources management towards socio-economic development in an environmentally sound manner.
The E-Network envisages well-informed, multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder decision-making processes that should result in more sustainable practices, strategies and policies to manage land and water resources, and mitigate disasters.
FAO and UNESCAP welcome and encourage water stakeholders and professionals in the region to join and participate in the E-Network. For more information please visit www.spm-water-ap.net or write to Javier.gonzalezsoria@fao.org
2. The Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (CA)
The Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (CA) is an innovative multi-institute process aimed at identifying existing knowledge and stimulating thought on ways to manage water resources to continue meeting the needs of both humans and ecosystems. The CA critically evaluates the benefits, costs, and impacts of the past 50 years of water development and challenges to water management currently facing communities. It assesses innovative solutions and explores consequences of potential investment and management decisions. The CA is designed as a learning process, engaging networks of stakeholders to produce knowledge synthesis and methodologies.
The main output of the CA is a Synthesis Report that aims to guide investment and management decisions in the near future considering their impact over the next 50 years in order to enhance food and environmental security to support the achievement of the MDG. The Synthesis report is under preparation and will be released in August 2006.
Visit the CA web site at http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Assessment/index.htm The website is regularly updated and offers more information about the program, the synthesis, the research activities, the available publications and events.
For more information, contact: comp.assessment@cgiar.org
For details about the Synthesis Report, contact d.vallee@cgiar.org Focal Point at FAO: Jeanmarc.Faures@fao.org
3. The Virtual Centre for Water in Agriculture
The Virtual Centre for Water in Agriculture is a Trust Fund project - GCP/INT/855/FRA funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs - implemented by the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID). This project is an innovative initiative promoting experience sharing and knowledge networking about the interactions between the water and soil resource use in agriculture and the environment, for a sustainable development of irrigation in developing countries. The English and French version of the virtual centre are available at: http://www.ciseau.org/
4. Fertilizer in small doses
(published in SPORE magazine, Issue 119, October 2005)
"Using fertilizer in countries of the South is often fraught with problems. The high cost of these industrial products is often crippling for farmers, who are reluctant to make such an investment, given the uncertain climate. To overcome these obstacles, experiments have been made using small doses (known as micro-doses) of fertilizer, and placing them directly into the soil at the time of sowing.
An FAO fertilizer project showed an increase in yields of both millet and sorghum from using this technique. For example, the application of 20 kg/ha of Di-ammonium phosphate 18-46-0 (DAP) into the hole, together with the seed, produces an increase in yield of about 70%. A secondary advantage of this method is the small amount of fertilizer used overall, with the obvious benefits to the environment.
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Niger, together with local partner organizations involved in agricultural research such as the Institut de l'environnement et recherches agricoles (INERA) in Burkina Faso, the Institut d'économie rurale au Mali (IER) in Mali and the Institut national de recherche agronomique de Niger (INRAN) in Niger have also carried out promising trials using sorghum and millet, which resulted in higher yields for both crops.
In Niger, farmers are now being trained in this technique and field schools are being established."
The project is supported by the Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service (AGLL), the Rural Institutions and Participation Service (SDAR) and the Agricultural Management, Marketing and Finance Service (AGSF) of FAO.
Contacts: Walter.BurgosLeon@fao.org / Jean.Bonnal@fao.org / Ake.Oloffson@fao.org
5. Irrigation Manual for irrigation practitioners
The Water Team of FAO's Sub-regional Office for East and Southern Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, has developed an Irrigational Manual for irrigation practitioners, resulting from several years of field work and training of irrigation engineers in the sub-region. It deals with the planning, development, monitoring and evaluation of irrigated agriculture with farmer participation. It consists of 14 Modules, regrouped in five volumes, with an emphasis on engineering, agronomic and economic aspects of smallholder irrigation, but it also introduces the irrigation engineers to social, health and environmental aspects of irrigation development, thus providing a bridge between the various disciplines involved in irrigation development.
The 14 modules of the irrigation manual are accessible through the following website: http://www.fao.org/landandwater/training.stm#irrigman.
The above Irrigation Manual is in English, but translation in French is being undertaken at the moment and another announcement will be made when the French Version is available.
Technical contact: Karen.Frenken@fao.org
6. Fertilizer use by crop in the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service (AGLL) has published an overview of fertilizer use by crop in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Low rainfall and high temperatures in Iran necessitate irrigation and over half the cultivated land is irrigated. Water availability and salinity are major constraints. Iran has long been a major importer of wheat but in 2003 and 2004 domestic wheat production almost satisfied the national demand. Several governmental measures supported production of the crop and favourable rainfall after a drought was also a major factor. Yields of both irrigated and rainfed wheat are low by world standards. The intensification of production, in particular through a greater efficiency of fertilization and irrigation, is required in order to achieve a permanent reduction in the country's dependence on wheat imports, even under less favourable climatic conditions.
For on-line reading/downloading: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fertuseiran.pdf
Contact: Tanja.vandenBergen@fao.org
7. Management of Irrigated-Induced Salt-Affected Soils
The Management of Irrigated-Induced Salt-Affected Soils Brochure is a joint initiative of the Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service (AGLL) and the Virtual Center for Water in Agriculture project implemented by the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID). The brochure presents the secondary salinization issues in irrigated areas and provides some recommendations in terms of preventive and reclamation actions. The Arabic, English, French and Spanish versions of the brochure are available online on the IPTRID web site at: http://www.fao.org/iptrid and a hard copy can be obtained by contacting the IPTRID Secretariat: iptrid@fao.org
8. FAO Land and Water Bulletin No. 10 - Integrated soil and water management for orchard development: Role and importance
This publication discusses the role and importance of integrated soil and water management in olive orchards and vineyards and it is intended to highlight the better use of resources. This book will contribute to raising awareness of the possibilities for the better use of rainwater and improved management of soils with reduced erosion. It will be useful to anyone concerned with maintaining and improving the quality of soil including farmers, researchers, advisory staff, consultants and technical decision-makers.
For more information please contact Jose.Benites@fao.org
To order a free copy, contact, Pilar.Pazos@fao.org
For large orders please contact publications-sales@fao.org
For on-line reading/downloading: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/lw10e.pdf
9. FAO Land and Water Bulletin No. 11 - Drought-resistant soils: Optimization of soil moisture for sustainable plant production
Under low and variable rainfall conditions, efficient soil moisture management is a good way for improving water use efficiency. Recognizing the importance of soil moisture an electronic conference was organize to identify, describe, discuss and promote actions that will assist farmers to improve water-use efficiency in rainfed agriculture and drought-proof their system. The present publication contains an analytic summary of the conference discussions, the abstracts of papers submitted during the conference as well as the discussion papers prepared to introduce the different topics. In keeping with the electronic character of the workshop, the complete materials are included on the CD-ROM that accompanies this document.
For more information please contact Jose.Benites@fao.org
To order free a copy, contact, Pilar.Pazos@fao.org
For large orders please contact publications-sales@fao.org
10. Boletín de Suelos de la FAO No. 79. Optimización de la humedad del suelo para la producción vegetal: El significado de la porosidad del suelo
Esta publicación está dirigida a extensionistas y otros técnicos así como a agricultores líderes y tiene el objetivo de proporcionar bases sólidas para un manejo completo y sostenible de la humedad del suelo.
El documento ha sido presentado en forma sencilla y fácilmente comprensible como forma de guía para los trabajadores de campo con actividades, ejercicios y temas de discusión en un lenguaje no técnico e intercalando el texto con ilustraciones y diagramas. Los materiales completos de esta guía están incluidos en el CD-ROM que acompaña este documento. El CD-ROM pone énfasis en el uso de observaciones cuidadosas de campo sobre los indicadores de los suelos y las plantas para identificar los problemas del agua en el suelo.
Para mayor información contactar: Jose.Benites@fao.org
Para obtener una copia de cortesía contactar con: Pilar.Pazos@fao.org
Para obtener un número mayor de copias contactar con: publications-sales@fao.org
For on-line reading/downloading: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/sb79s.pdf
11. FAO Soil Bulletin No. 80 - The importance of soil organic matter: Key to drought resistant soil and sustained food production.
This publication discusses that a key to soil restoration is to maximize the retention and recycling of organic matter and plant nutrients, and to minimize the losses of these soil components caused by leaching, runoff and erosion. However, rebuilding soil quality and health through appropriate farming practices may take several years, especially in dryland areas where limited moisture reduces biomass production and soil biological activity. Thus, the challenge is to identify soil management practices that promote soil organic matter formation and moisture retention and ensure productivity and profitability for farmers in the short term.
For more information please contact Jose.Benites@fao.org
To order a free copy, contact, Pilar.Pazos@fao.org
For large orders please contact publications-sales@fao.org
For on-line reading/downloading: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/sb80e.pdf
12. Online Database on Capacity Development for Water in Agriculture
The database on Capacity Development for Water in Agriculture is a joint initiative of the Water Resources, Development and Management Service of FAO and the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID). It is a meeting point for both people in search of capacity development opportunities for water in agriculture and those offering courses/events in this area. The database contains relevant information on course/event provider, duration, target group as well as contact information in order to obtain further details. For more information, please visit: http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/cdwa/index_en.htm, or write to: CapDevWater@fao.org
13. Integrated Nutrient Management - A trilingual on-line glossary of terms
In order to extend the approach of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) from the laboratory to the land, field functionaries at various levels need a clear understanding of the various concepts, phrases and terms associated with INM. To facilitate this, FAO and the Fertiliser Development and Consultation Organisation (FDCO), India joined efforts in publishing this glossary. The various terms and phrases included in this glossary are related directly or indirectly to INM. These cover various aspects of plant nutrients, mineral fertilizers, organic manures, recyclable wastes and biofertilizers. The coverage encompasses the broad disciplines of agronomy, soil science, resource management, plant physiology, microbiology, trade, economics and extension. The glossary not only provides simple definitions and explanations of the various terms and phrases involved, but also provides a better understanding of the available technical literature.
The English, French and Spanish versions of this glossary are now available on-line at:
http://www.fao.org/landandwater/agll/ipns/index_en.jsp
Contact: Rabindra.Roy@fao.org
14. FAO Information Portal - Management and Properties of Drylands (http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/drylands/index.htm)
This new website contains an information portal of more than 1 000 selected documents, articles, hyperlinks, maps, statistics, photos and data sets relevant to drylands. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge of drylands. This information gateway comprises information about natural resources in dryland ecosystems and their current conditions and status of degradation, techniques and practices to manage dryland resources and the socio-economic situation of the population living in drylands.
The website has been jointly developed by 'Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands' (LADA) project and the Priority Area for Interdisciplinary Action (PAIA) - Combating Desertification.
Moreover, the intention of this information tool is to serve as a major information source for dryland experts and development planners as well as for the interested general public. It contains general information on drylands and specialized information on dryland management practices and strategies. It also comprises diagnosis/assessments of conditions of dryland ecosystems, comprehensive case studies/ lessons learned and assessment methodologies for land degradation in drylands based on both traditional knowledge and scientific information. This encompasses relevant digitally available information sources published by FAO as well as by other important stakeholders working and researching on drylands.
The information presented is selected according to the following criteria:
- availability in digital format
- up-to-dateness
- high relevance regarding the specific section headline (key documents)
- selection of a limited number of information sources per section
- in the case of hyperlinks to other Web sites, preference is often given to URLs that represent general sections in the structure of other Web sites rather than very specific locations.
Please note that this website is an ongoing process. The website is technically interweaved with the LADA Virtual Centre (http://lada.virtualcentre.org/pagedisplay/display.asp) and can be updated by using the interactive upload area of LADA VC (http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/drylands/contact.htm). Any uploaded file/link will be reviewed by the LADA management team and placed in an appropriate section of the website.
Maintenance and up-dating of the website is currently ensured through the close collaboration between: F. Nachtergaele and W. Prante, Land and Water Development Division, Land and Plant Nutrition Management Services (AGLL); Domique Lantieri (Sustainable Development Division); and M. Rokitzki, Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (MRokitzki@unccd.int).
15. "Subsurface Drainage Practices; Guidelines for the implementation, operation and maintenance of subsurface pipe drainage systems". By H. J. Nijland, F.W. Croon and H.P. Ritzema. Alterra-ILRI Publication 60, pp.608, Wageningen, 2005
Although excellent and up-dated text books on "Land Drainage" exist, there was the need for specific guidelines for the implementation, operation and maintenance of subsurface pipe agricultural drainage systems, including the monitoring of the quality of the drainage works. This gap in agricultural drainage publications has been successfully covered by ILRI Publication 60 "Subsurface Drainage Practices", which has been recently published by Alterra-ILRI, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
This book has been written by three well known Dutch drainage engineers: Henk Nijland, Frank W. Croon and Henk Ritzema, with worldwide expertise in drainage development and, in particular, in installation of subsurface drainage systems.
This publication has been structured in three parts:
I. Implementation of subsurface drainage systems; the Process.
II. Detailed instructions for the implementation of subsurface drainage systems.
III. Case studies.
Part I describes the planning and organization of the implementation process, quality control and operation and maintenance. In this part, summarised information on options for the system layout, drainage materials and drainage machinery has been included. A final section on costs of the systems has been added.
Part II provides practical detailed guidelines for each one of the components of the process of installation of pipe drainage systems, quality control and maintenance of the systems.
Part III presents case studies with practical information from five countries -China, Egypt, India, The Netherlands and Pakistan- in which the authors have participated in drainage works. After a background of drainage development and organization and planning aspects in the particular country, information is provided on the technical details of drainage technology in large scale drainage projects.
This publication means a milestone contribution to improving the quality of subsurface drainage works, as it provides practical and useful guidance in many details which are essential for sound performance of drainage systems. The book will be very useful for engineers, of both public and private sector, who work in the installation and maintenance of pipe subsurface drainage systems.
Julian Martinez Beltran (Julian.MartinezBeltran@FAO.org)
Drainage and Salinity Management Officer
Water Resources, Development and Management Service (AGLW)
FAO's Land and Water Development Division on the internet:
Website: http://www.fao.org/landandwater
E-mail: Land-and-water@fao.org
Back issues of the Land and Water Electronic Newsletter:
http://www.fao.org/landandwater/newsletter
The Land-and-Water-L electronic newsletter is a free service aimed at providing up-to-date information on the activities of the FAO Land and Water Development Division and others working in the field of land and water development. Please feel free to forward the newsletter to all those who could be interested.
Editor: Leon Hermans (Leon.Hermans@fao.org)
2. Workshop on benchmarking in irrigation and drainage,
19th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID),
Beijing, 13th September 2005
3. International workshop : Design and Implementation of
Capacity Development Strategies, 19th Congress of the International Commission
on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), Beijing, 14th September 2005
4. Report of the regional workshop on salt-affected soils
from sea water intrusion: strategies for rehabilitation and management - RAP
Publication 2005/11
5. Méthodes de compostage au niveau de l'exploitation agricole:
Documents De Travail Sur Les Terres Et Les Eaux 2
6. Fertilizer use by crop in South Africa
7. Fertilizer use by crop in Indonesia
8. Groundwater in international law: Compilation of treaties
and other legal instruments: FAO series Legislative Studies - 86
1. River basin assessment methodology Transboundary Agroecosystem management programme for the Lower Kagera River Basin (GEF/UNEP, 2004-2006)
The assessment methodology for the river basin is in development by a team of national experts from Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania led by Sally Bunning AGL with the national project managers in the three countries (Wilson Bamwerinde, Valentini Rugambwa and Juvenal Kabiliga) and with support of international consultants Jeremy Burgess, Botswana, and Anne Woodfine, UK. A two week long practical workshop took place during July 2005 in Umutara province Rwanda and Ngara district Tanzania to develop the field assesmsnet using transects and other PRA tools. The assessment addresses the effects of land use change and land management practices in terms of land degradation, (agro)-biodiversity, carbon sequestration and impacts on food security and livelihoods. The aim is to show how the adoption of better land management practices tested proven in the basin or beneficiary countries or other countries can reverse degradation and generate benefits at local, national and global levels. The assessment methodology will be developed and made available as a working paper for consideration and use by the country teams for land degradation assessment in drylands (LADA).
For further information contact sally Bunning, AGL Tel (39)3840519095 mobile or (39) 0657054442 office
2. Workshop on benchmarking in irrigation and drainage, 19th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), Beijing, 13th September 2005
IPTRID, ICID, IWMI and FAO have collaborated since 1999 to develop and implement guidelines for benchmarking in the irrigation and drainage (I&D) sector. A set of simple, universally applicable performance indicators were identified and are being field-tested. In addition to this approach, it seems advisable to broaden the basis for reflection by including in the field of analysis some other experiences initiated locally by managers and/or structures pursuing various objectives. As a matter of fact, many local initiatives of informal benchmarking between small and medium size irrigation management structures does exist but are not disseminated as they do not fit with the existing grids of analysis.
The workshop on Benchmarking to be held in Beijing (China) during the 19th Congress of ICID, will consider two basic drivers for adopting benchmarking in I&D:
1. Benchmarking is a tool for public authorities to increase transparency in the management of public services like irrigation and drainage utilities. It is probably the main driver in most of the country case studies presented last year in Moscow. It requires a high level of standardization of the indicators in order to make easy comparisons; thus, it cannot be led by only one manager.
2. Benchmarking is a tool to increase efficiency of the service delivery; this approach is necessarily led by some managers of comparable systems in order to improve the management of their respective systems. This approach is implemented on a voluntary basis, on the manager's initiative. The grid of indicators will depend on the specific objectives of the managers involved.
The issue for the Beijing workshop is defined as follows: Diversity of the perception of performance management: heterogeneity of the objectives, variety of the indicators Contributions from new partners / countries where benchmarking is perhaps not formalized but is effectively used as a management tool will be encouraged. Papers addressing the proposed issue and the application of benchmarking techniques in the I&D sector in response to one, or both, pf the above drivers, described above, are requested. Related papers may be considered for presentation and inclusion in the proceedings.
Abstracts shall be submitted not after the 15th of July, 2005.
Papers shall be submitted not after the 15th of August, 2005.
CONTACTS
Contacts regarding the organization of the Workshop are:
Professor Jiesheng Huang
College of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, Wuhan University, China
Tel: +86 27-68772196(O)
Mob: +86 13507166696
Email: jshuanga@public.wh.hb.cn
Mr. François Onimus
Société du Canal de Provence (SCP), Aix-en-Provence, France
Tel: +33 442 66 77 76
Fax: +33 442 66 70 83
Email: francois.onimus@canal-de-provence.com
3. International workshop : Design and Implementation of Capacity Development Strategies, 19th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), Beijing, 14th September 2005
The third in the series of workshops on capacity development in irrigation and drainage will be held in Beijing during the ICID Congress. This workshop will build on the outcomes of previous events in Montpellier (2003) and Moscow (2004) which established the basic framework of capacity development and discussed approaches to capacity needs assessment.
The workshop to be held in Beijing will focus on the design and implementation of capacity development strategies and will have the following objectives:
First, to present a general overview on how capacity development activities are being practiced in developing countries, including steps followed when deciding to invest in capacity development programmes and how to translate the theory into practical terms and concrete actions.
Second, to provide some guidance for successfully engaging in the process of designing and implementing a capacity development strategy, presenting some real case studies in developing countries, and
Third, to provide a platform for further collaboration and networking in the field of capacity development for agricultural water management. In particular it will consider linkages to the cross-cutting theme Capacity-Building and Social Learning for the 4th World Water Forum.
The workshop will consist of two keynote papers, discussing the concepts and key issues, and will be followed by a series of country case studies reflecting real examples of design and/or implementation. The workshop will conclude with associated plenary discussions, from which we hope to outline some guidelines or guiding principles for the design and implementation of capacity development strategies.
For further information, please contact the organising committee:
Tom Franks, Chairman, ICID Working Group on Capacity-Building, Training and
Education
(tom.franks@btinternet.com)
Carlos Garcés, programme Manager, IPTRID-FAO, (carlos.garces@fao.org)
Sonia Tato, Technical Officer, IPTRID-FAO, (sonia.tato@fao.org)
To register your interest in attending the workshop, please register with
edith.mahabir@fao.org For general
information on the ICID Congress, please consult www.icid2005.org
4. Report of the regional workshop on salt-affected soils from sea water intrusion: strategies for rehabilitation and management - RAP Publication 2005/11
The 26 December 2004 earthquake and tsunami devastated the lives of millions. With considerable determination, local communities have joined national and international organizations and governments to bring relief and start the recovery work. FAO has been involved in assisting the affected countries in numerous ways so that agricultural activities may be resumed. While short-term assistance is indispensable, strategic planning for medium and long-term rehabilitation in collaboration with partners and governments is required for appropriate intervention. To strengthen regional coordination and collaboration in support of rural development and food security, the above workshop was organized in Bangkok, Thailand from 31 March to 1 April 2005. The overall goal was to enhance rehabilitation efforts for the reclamation of salt-affected soils in tsunami-affected areas and to identify suitable management practices for sustainable crop production. A major outcome of the workshop was a regional strategic framework for coordinating the actions to be taken at the regional level for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected areas.
Contact: Yuji.Niino@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/ae551e/ae551e00.pdf
(235kB)
5. Méthodes de compostage au niveau de l'exploitation agricole: Documents De Travail Sur Les Terres Et Les Eaux 2
Les problèmes liés à la productivité des sols et à la détérioration de l'environnement ont ravivé l'intérêt pour les pratiques de recyclage des matières organiques telles que le compostage. Le compostage offre des solutions très intéressantes permettant de transformer les déchets organiques de l'exploitation agricole en ressource. Un éventail d'approches de compostage pour diverses situations a été utilisé. Cependant, l'information relative aux méthodes rapides de compostage récemment mises au point, tout particulièrement celles destinées aux petits agriculteurs, reste éparpillée et a besoin d'être compilée. Cette publication présente un aperçu des méthodes de compostage au niveau de l'exploitation agricole, tout particulièrement les processus de compostage rapides. Elle vise à promouvoir l'adoption à grande échelle de technologies de compostage efficaces et rapides, en vue d'améliorer la productivité du sol dans les pays en développement tout en protégeant l'environnement.
ISSN 1729-0554
Contact: rabindra.roy@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/lwdp2_f.pdf
(1.47MB)
6. Fertilizer use by crop in South Africa
Only fourteen percent of the total land area of South Africa receives sufficient rainfall for arable crop production and periodic droughts affect the rain fed arable areas. The irrigated area accounts for less than ten percent of the total arable area but provides a substantial proportion of the value of the country's total agricultural output. Governmental support and regulation of the agricultural and fertilizer sectors have been greatly reduced, resulting in the closure of some fertilizer plants and in marginal cereal areas being taken out of cultivation. Forty percent of the South African population lives in poverty, mostly in rural areas. An increase in the purchasing power of this sector of the population would stimulate the demand for food and indirectly for fertilizers. A proper use of fertilizers would help to improve the productivity and income of smallholders.
Contact: tanja.vandenbergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fertusesouthafrica.pdf
(1642kB)
7. Fertilizer use by crop in Indonesia
This report presents data and information related to cropping and fertilizer use in Indonesia during the period from 1998 to 2002. It covers fertilizer production, consumption, marketing and changes in the harvested areas and yields of the major food, plantation, vegetable and fruit crops. The official recommendations on fertilizer use on the different crops date from 1984 and need to be updated. The government has long recognized the importance of fertilizers in providing food security and economic stability and has regulated accordingly. During the period under consideration, there have been several changes in the government's policy concerning the subsidization and distribution of fertilizers. Some were inconsistent, in an attempt to adapt to the changing conditions following the economic crisis of 1997. The shortcomings of current policies and the measures that could improve agricultural productivity are discussed.
Contact: tanja.vandenbergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fertuseindonesia.pdf
(1997kB)
8. Groundwater in international law: Compilation of treaties and other legal instruments: FAO series Legislative Studies - 86
Authors: Stefano Burchi and Kerstin Mechlem
© FAO/UNESCO, 2005. All rights reserved.
ISBN 92-5-105231-x | ISSN 1014-6679
584 pages. English.
Groundwater is of high social, economic, environmental and strategic importance. It represents about 97% of the freshwater resources available on earth, excluding the water locked in the polar ice. Aquifers, among them numerous transboundary ones, are coming under growing pressure from over-abstraction and pollution, which seriously threaten their sustainability. Up to now international law has paid much less attention to ground- than to surface water. Slowly however, a body of rules dealing with this vital resource is emerging that indicates a trend towards more comprehensive international regulation.
It is against this backdrop that FAO and UNESCO have joined forces and embarked on this publication project. It brings together binding and non-binding international law instruments that, in varying degrees and from different angles, deal with groundwater. Its aim is to report developments in international law and to contribute to detecting law in-the-making in this important field.
To order a print copy (for sale, at US$30 per copy), go to the FAO Online Publications
Catalogue.
http://www.fao.org/icatalog/inter-e.htm
Access free full-text: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/y5739e/y5739e00.pdf
(140kB)
9. NOSTRUM-DSS electronic Newsletter
http://www.feem-web.it/nostrum/downloads_nl.php
The first issue of NOSTRUM-DSS electronic Newsletter is now available in the download section of the project web site
NOSTRUM-DSS project is a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme (Specific measures in support of international co-operation - Mediterranean Partner Countries).
The first issue of the NOSTRUM-DSS Newsletter summarises the main progresses made during the first year of project implementation (August 2004-August 2005). Specific focus is placed on the National Reports whose production represented the first important step of the project. In fact, the content of these documents constitutes the common knowledge base for the upcoming activities. In addition, the Newsletter briefly discusses the main topics of the meetings held in the past year and it presents the forthcoming events.
10. NEW Water Science Website from the U.S. National Academies
http://water.nationalacademies.org/
The U.S. National Academies announces the launch of its Water Information Center, a portal of more than 100 peer-reviewed reports from the National Academies on water-related issues. The website aims to assist the work of water scientists, engineers, managers, policy-makers, and students throughout the world. These reports represent independent and objective consensus among experts from academia, industry, and other entities.
The website features Water Supply and Sanitation, Water and Soil Remediation, Hydrologic Hazards, Water Quality in the Natural Environment, River Basin Systems Management, Environmental Assessment, Management, and Restoration Water Science and Research.
All of the reports can be read for free on-line, the full reports can be downloaded for FREE. A large number of reports are also available to free download for residents of other countries.
2. Le projet FAO au Niger GCP/NER/041/BEL, Phase 3
Events:3. Symposium On Conservation Agriculture And Environment: Carbon Sequestration And Water Quality, Iguassu Falls, Parana, Brazil, From 18 - 20 May 2005
4. Workshop on Design and Implementation of Capacity Development Strategies, Beijing, P.R. China on 14 September 2005
5. Premier Salon africain de l'irrigation et du drainage / First African Irrigation Show
6. Scaling soil nutrient balances - Enabling mesolevel applications for African realities
7. Agro-ecological zoning and GIS applications in Asia with special emphasis on land degradation assessment in drylands (LADA)
8. LADA Degradation in the Caribbean
9. Utilisation des engrais par culture en Algérie
10. Conservación De Recursos Naturales Para Una Agricultura Sostenible
11. CD-ROM #30 Methods and materials in soil conservation
12. The open access 'e-Journal of Land and Water' launched
FAO web sites:14. Program Leader of the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Program in the African Division, IFDC
1. The International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID) gets a new Programme Manager as of 1 March 2005
The Director General of FAO, Mr. Jacques Diouf, has appointed the new Programme Manager of IPTRID. A worldwide search that drew 68 applications from a broad range of water resources professionals and managers culminated on 1 March 2005 with the selection of Mr. Carlos Garces-Restrepo. Mr. Garces, a Colombian national, with an Agricultural Engineering background, holds a Ph.D. degree from Cornell University, in Water and Soils Engineering. The new Programme Manager brings a professional experience of 30 years divided almost equally between Asia and Latin America and, to a lesser degree, in Africa. He is a specialist in water management with emphasis on the performance of irrigation and drainage systems, from small to large scale. He has also worked extensively as an irrigation institutions specialist particularly in relation to Irrigation Management Transfer and Water User Associations. He has occupied several posts as Team/Project Leader or Programme Head of both Research and Development projects through the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system, at The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) and the International Water Research Institute (IWMI) and other private organizations. He has been associated with FAO since early 2002 first as Technical Officer of the Water Service (AGLW) and later as Assistant Programme Manager of IPTRID. During his extensive professional career, he has had long-term assignments in Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia and Italy, and short technical missions to more than 20 countries around the world.
IPTRID : http://www.fao.org/iptrid
Contact IPTRID Programme Manager, Carlos Garces, at e-mail address: Carlos.Garcesfao.org.
2. Le projet FAO au Niger GCP/NER/041/BEL, Phase 3
Le projet FAO au Niger GCP/NER/041/BEL, Phase 3 "Promotion de l'utilisation des intrants agricoles par les organisations de producteurs" a préparé les deux CDROM suivants pour les vulgariser dans les villages:
1. FILM SUR LA TECHNIQUE DE MICRO DOSE D'ENGRAIS AU POQUET
Dans cinq régions du pays, en collaboration avec l'ICRISAT et l'INRAN, le projet a mis au point une méthode d'utilisation de petites quantités d'engrais au poquet. Une dose de 20 Kg/ha de DAP ou de 60 Kg/ha de 15-15-15 suffit et permet de réduire les investissements et d'augmenter les rendements des céréales. Le tout s'accompagne d'un programme de formation et de démonstrations en grandeur nature.
2. FILM SUR LA FABRICATION DU COMPOST
Il s'agit d'une méthode de compostage au niveau de l'exploitation agricole. Pour ce compost on utilise de l'herbe sèche, de l'herbe verte, du phosphate naturel et du fumier disposés dans une fosse de 1,5m x 1m x 1m en couches successives et arrosées. Aprés 15 jours de fermentation, on malaxe l'ensemble. Un mois plus tard le compost est prêt à l'emploi.
Contact: Walter Burgos Leon, FT, AGLL Walter.BurgosLeon@fao.org
http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/fldproj.stm
3. Symposium On Conservation Agriculture And Environment: Carbon Sequestration And Water Quality, Iguassu Falls, Parana, Brazil, From 18 - 20 May 2005
From 18 to 20 of May 2005 at Iguassu Falls, in the state of Parana, Brazil, FAO and the Brazilian Federation for No-Tillage on Crop Residues (FEBRAPDP) are organizing an International Symposium on No-Till and Environment: Carbon Sequestration And Water Quality. It is expected the participation of representatives of many national and international sectors for an ample discussion on the state-of-the-art of the links between conservation agriculture, carbon sequestration and water quality. The program will address not only environmental benefits subjects, but also the technical and the political and economical outcomes related to the subject. This is a follow up meeting of the II World Congress of Conservation Agriculture. The main output is to share lessons showing clearly the processes and dynamics involved on the protection of springs and large reservoirs of water, with consequent costs reduction of the treated water and enlarging the useful life of hydroelectric plants by the adoption of Conservation Agriculture system - case of the ITAIPU hydro electrical power plant.
For more details please contact Jose.Benites@fao.org
Or visit the following web page:
http://www.febrapdp.org.br/simposio
4. Workshop on Design and Implementation of Capacity Development Strategies, Beijing, P.R. China on 14 September 2005
IPTRID is pleased to announce a Workshop on Design and Implementation of Capacity Development Strategies that will be held in Beijing, P.R. China on 14 September 2005, under the umbrella of the 19th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage; it is part of the activities of the ICID Working Group on Capacity Building, Training and Education. The event will have the following objectives:
Feel free to forward it to other people who might be willing to attend and/or contribute.
For further details please contact the IPTRID Programme Manager, Carlos Garces, at e-mail address: Carlos.Garces@fao.org.
For further information please download http://www.fao.org/iptrid/beijing_icid.pdf and visit http://www.icid2005.org/
5. Premier Salon africain de l'irrigation et du drainage / First African Irrigation Show
(Français)
L'ARID (Association régionale pour les Irrigations et le Drainage en Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre) organise le premier salon Africain de l'irrigation et du drainage qui se tiendra à Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) du 6 au 10 décembre 2005. Le salon servira de lieu d'échange autour des politiques nationales de développement de l'irrigation et devrait permettre de proposer des orientations pour la définition d'une stratégie régionale. Il offrira également un cadre de concertation pour les professionnels dans le secteur de l'irrigation et du drainage. Une attention particulière sera accordée à la diffusion des technologies et aux modalités de mise en place de dispositifs de certification des compétences des professionnels.
Pour en savoir plus, merci de vouloir bien contacter l'ARID:
ARID
01 BP 594 OUAGADOUGOU 01
BURKINA FASO
TEL : + 226 50 30 43 61
+ 226 50 30 20 53
TLC : + 226 50 31 27 24
Site Internet : http://www.eieretsher.org/arid
Courriel : arid@eieretsher.org
(English)
RAID (Regional Association on Irrigation and Drainage in West and Central Africa) is organizing the first African exhibition on Irrigation and Drainage to be held in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) from 6 to 10 December 2005. This event will be a forum for debate on national irrigation development policies with the objective of proposing orientations for defining a regional irrigation development strategy. It will also offer a dialogue framework for professionals in the irrigation and drainage sector. The event will have a special focus on technology uptake and the development of professional competencies certification.
For further information, please contact RAID:
RAID
01 BP 594 OUAGADOUGOU 01
BURKINA FASO
TEL : + 226 50 30 43 61
+ 226 50 30 20 53
FAX : + 226 50 31 27 24
Web : http://www.eieretsher.org/arid
Email : arid@eieretsher.org
6. Scaling soil nutrient balances - Enabling mesolevel applications for African realities : FAO Fertilizer and Plant Nutrition Bulletin 15
Using data on three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, this report compares macrolevel and microlevel approaches to determining soil nutrient balances with an innovative mesolevel approach. It highlights the added value that a mesolevel approach can provide in terms of its usefulness to mesolevel stakeholders in articulating and targeting scale-specific soil fertility enhancing measures, and its validity as an entry point for policy-makers and private-sector intervention.
ISBN 92-5-105237-9 / ISSN 0259-2495
Contact : jan.Poulisse@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fpnb15.pdf (3995kB)
7. Agro-ecological zoning and GIS applications in Asia with special emphasis on land degradation assessment in drylands (LADA)
This document contains the proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Agro-ecological Zoning (AEZ) and Land Resources Information System (LRIS) Applications in Asia with special emphasis on Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA) ) held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 10 t0 14 November 2003. The workshop was organized by FAO/AGL and the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) in collaboration with the Land Development Department (LDD) of Thailand. The workshop reviewed the status of AEZ/LRIS in the Asia region and discussed the contribution of AEZ/LRIS information to improve decision for the rational use, management and conservation and for monitoring the condition of the region's land resources, and in particular the use of AEZ/LRIS tools in the assessment, mapping and monitoring of land degradation in Asian countries. The LADA project is developing - with country participation - a framework for land degradation assessment at global, regional and national levels. The meeting proposed LADA country projects and the outline for an Asia sub-regional LADA project for capacity building in assessing and combating land degradation using local expertise through Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC).
Publication Series: AGL/Misc/38/2005
Contact : Jacques.Antoine@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/misc38e.pdf (1333kB)
8. LADA Degradation in the Caribbean
This document contains the proceedings of the sub-regional workshop on land degradation in the Caribbean which was held in Port of Spain, Trinidad, 3-6 February 2004. The workshop was organized in partnership by FAO, the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, GTZ and the regional office of UNEP. NAPs and LADA experiences in Caribbean countries are presented as well as recommendations for future collaboration in the Caribbean Partnership Initiative on Land Degradation and Sustainable Land Management. This includes the preparation and implementation of a Caribbean regional LADA project. The proposed LADA project will focus on capacity building in assessing and combating land degradation in the Caribbean using local and regional expertise through Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC)
Publication Series: AGL/Misc/39/2005
Contact : Jacques.Antoine@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/misc39e.pdf (622kB)
9. Utilisation des engrais par culture en Algérie
La production agricole d'Algérie, céréales, pommes de terre, arboriculture fruitière, maraîchage, etc. est concentrée dans la riche zone pluvieuse du nord du pays. Les ressources en matières premières du pays permettent une production rentable d'engrais azotés et phosphatés, destinés au marché intérieur et à l'exportation. Toutefois l'utilisation des engrais en Algérie reste en deçà des besoins. Les importations de céréales ont été multipliées par dix depuis 1970. Une fertilisation adaptée et équilibrée permettrait non seulement des rendements plus élevés mais aussi une meilleure résistance à la sécheresse et une assimilation plus élevée de l'azote.
Contact : Tanja.VandenBergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or downloading at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fertusealgerie.pdf (1258kB)
10. Conservación De Recursos Naturales Para Una Agricultura Sostenible
El Servicio de Manejo de las Tierras y de la Nutrición de las Plantas en colaboración con il Departamento de Ciencias de los Alimentos de la Univesitá degli Studi di Teramo, Italia pone a la disposición de los agricultores, técnicos, investigadores, estudiantes y otros interesados cuatro plegables: Humedad del Suelo, Materia Orgánica, Compactación del Suelo y Aplicación de Agricultura de Conservación. Estos plegables tienen como objetivo ilustrar el impacto de la agricultura de conservación sobre el suelo y el agua.
Para mayor información contactar con Jose.Benites@fao.org
11. CD-ROM #30 Methods and materials in soil conservation
This manual summarizes the factors that control soil erosion. For developers the ideal project cycle from feasibility, through investigation, design, construction and planned maintenance is discussed. The role of land classification in this approach is illustrated. Finally, the methods available to mitigate soil erosion are discussed, the design principles are summarized and the selection and specification of materials is described.
ISBN 92-5-105281-6 / ISSN 1020-7147
Contact : Jose/Benites@fao.org
Copies of this CD-ROM can be ordered from:
publication-sales@fao.org
12. The open access 'e-Journal of Land and Water' launched
In February 2005 the new 'e-Journal of Land and Water' (ISSN 1832-5149) was launched. It is an open access and peer reviewed international scientific journal for research and developments in 'land and water'.
The technical scope of the 'e-Journal of Land and Water' is to publish scientific papers of international significance covering basic, applied and strategic research in the area of land and water. It focuses on the integration of the various aspects of land and water management and conservation at a range of scales. While the journal provides an ideal framework for research topics of multi-disciplinary nature, it equally allows to cover specific components from the wider land and water arena.
The 'e-Journal of Land and Water' is being carried out by a group of scientist and organisations committed to work towards making the world's scientific land and water publications a more freely available and accessible public resource. The journal is being published under the general principles of open access in the sense of free and open access to the end user. Submissions of manuscripts are welcomed and should be sent through the on-line submission section of the journal.
http://ejlw.sakia.org/
For further information please contact: Thomas-M. Stein, thomas-manuel.stein@sakia.org
13. Global Map of Irrigated Areas; FAO and the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany announce version 3.0
FAO and the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany co-operate in the development and maintenance of the Global Map of Irrigated Areas. The first version of this map was developed in 1999 by Stefan Siebert and Petra Döll on the basis of cartographic information and FAO statistics, showing the amount of area equipped for irrigation at the end of the 20th century in percentage of the total area on a raster with a resolution of 30 arc minutes. Version 2.1 was published in 2002 on a grid resolution of 5 arc minutes and included updated maps of Latin-America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. The next step in improving the dataset was the inclusion of the continent of Asia, which became available in January 2005 and is presented in version 2.2. In version 3.0 an update for North America was included. With this update the map for the whole globe was generated by using the same methodology which was the reason to give the map a new version number. The map is based on inventories of sub-national irrigation statistics for the whole world. Irrigation maps were derived from project reports, irrigation sub-sector studies or books related to irrigation and drainage and were compared to satellite images in many regions. The reference year for the map is the period 1995 - 2000.
The complete documentation of the Global Map of Irrigated Areas is always available at:
http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/aquastat/irrigationmap/index.stm
From this address the map can also be downloaded.
Contact: S.Siebert@em.uni-frankfurt.de and Jippe.Hoogeveen@fao.org
14. Program Leader of the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Program in the African Division, IFDC
IFDC, an International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development, seeks an agronomist/soil scientist/extension specialist with extensive experience in participatory research, extension methods, and experiential learning approaches to serve as Program Leader of the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Program in the African Division. Candidates should be business minded and familiar with commodity chain development and the agro-input sector.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The primary goal of the NRM Program is to achieve sustainable and profitable increases in agricultural productivity at high food quality standards in the developing world, while safeguarding the quality of the natural resource base on which many small-scale producers depend. The ultimate goal is to ensure the well-being of current and future generations of rural farmers and urban consumers. The NRM Program focuses on integrated soil fertility management technologies to improve the economic feasibility of fertilizer use and decrease environmental risks by increased use efficiency. These technologies integrate the use of mineral fertilizers, soil amendments and organic inputs and lead to increased availability and accessibility of plant nutrients.
TECHNICAL INQUIRIES
For more information contact the Director of IFDC-Africa, PO Box 4483 Lomé, Togo (tel. +228 221 79 71; fax +228 221 78 17; e-mail rgroot@ifdc.org).
APPLICATION
Qualified applicants are invited to send an application consisting of a letter of introduction and up-to-date curriculum vitae including the name, address, telephone, fax and e-mail contact addresses of three referees via e-mail to David Edwards, Senior Personnel Officer, IFDC, via email dedwards@ifdc.org or fax (1-256-381-7408) not later than May 31, 2005. Copies of certificates and relevant documents are to be attached to the application. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
1. Report of the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems
2. FAO-WARDA Workshop on Integrated Irrigation Aquaculture (IIA), held in Bamako, Mali, from 4 to 7 November 2003.
3. FAO provides training in Vermiculture and Composting in the Caribbean
4. World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) : Forum and D-Group Discussions
5. THE SECOND SOUTHEAST ASIA WATER FORUM "Better Water Management Through Public Participation" August 29 - September 2, 2005, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
6. Tendances actuelles du marche mondial des engrais et perspectives jusqu'en 2008/09
7. Tendencias mundiales actuales y perspectivas de los fertilizantes al 2008/09
8. Fertilizer use by crop in Egypt
9. Fertilizer use by crop in Malaysia
10. Carbon sequestration in dryland soils, Publication Series: World Soil Resources Report 102
11. Utilisation des phosphates naturels pour une agriculture durable
12. CD-ROM #29 Sistema de Información de Recursos de Tierras (SIRT), FAO Serie de medios digitales sobre tierras y aguas
13. National Soil Degradation Maps, based on GLASOD (UNEP/ISRIC)
14. Global Map of Irrigated Areas; co-operation between FAO and the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany
15. Upcoming Vacancy Of Full Professor Of "Earth Surface Processes"
1. Report of the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems
International commitments to sustainable use of water and natural resources have been made, for example at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, the two World Food Summits (1996 and 2002) and the World Water Fora. What is needed is implementation of these commitments and the identification of good management practices and practical lessons learned for an integrated approach to water for food and ecosystems. Against this background, FAO and the government of the Netherlands organized the international Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems, which was held from 31 January to 5 February 2005 in The Hague.
The Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems brought together experiences from various parts of the world on appropriate management practices in integrated management of natural resources, linking water, food and ecosystems. Three themes were central:
1. Fostering Implementation; Know-how for Action.
2. The "New Economy" of Water for Food and Ecosystems
3. The Enabling Environment
26 Ministers and more than 600 delegates from 140 countries and 40 international organizations, NGOs and private sector organizations participated in the Conference. They adopted a list of actions to improve the efficient use of water for food production and safeguard ecosystems. More information can be found on the Conference website:
http://www.fao.org/ag/wfe2005/
This website contains the final Conference report as well as reports of the African Pre-Conference and the Electronic Forum, which took place in November and December 2004.
2. FAO-WARDA Workshop on Integrated Irrigation Aquaculture (IIA), held in Bamako, Mali, from 4 to 7 November 2003.
The Workshop was attended by 33 participants (water resources experts and fishery experts) from nine countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Chad) and representatives from international organizations (UNESCO-IHE, WorldFishCentre, etc.), regional organizations (IVC), development aid agencies (DFID) and university (Wageningen). It was organised jointly by FAO and the Africa Rice Centre (WARDA).
The objectives of the workshop were to
1. to review the current achievements and constraints of integrated irrigation aquaculture activities in the West African sub-region
2. to develop common approach and shared methodologies for IIA, and
3. to elaborate national strategies for the promotion of IIA.
Outputs include
1. Synopsis of current status of IIA and identification of lessons learned on IIA (objective i)
2. Outline of key elements for approaches and methodologies, essential for successful adoption of IIA (objective ii)
3. Conceptualization of national IIA development plans (objective iii)
At the workshop, participants concluded that their countries have an under-exploited or unexploited potential for developing integrated aquaculture activities in irrigation networks. This potential could be used in particular in irrigated systems dominated by rice production. Participants made recommendations clustered into categories, such as conception, planning, operation, monitoring and evaluation, research, information and communication. The main recommendations are related to the conception, planning and operation of IIA activities. Important recommendations include the formulation of national policies on IIA and pilot projects, the establishment of appropriate institutional and legal frameworks and the strengthening and collaboration of all water user groups (rice farmers, fish farmers and other water users) in order to promote capacity building of all stakeholders (organization, financial and technical management), private fingerling production and distribution and integrated pest and production management practices. Furthermore, it was recommended to improve information channels and communication between the relevant authorities, possibly through national networks representing all stakeholders.
For more information, contact Ines Beernaerts (Water Resources Officer) at ines.beernaerts@fao.org or Matthias Halwart (Fishery Resources Officer) at Matthias.Halwart@fao.org.
3. FAO provides training in Vermiculture and Composting in the Caribbean
Over the past few years, the Governments of the Caribbean, with the support of various regional and international agencies, have been promoting organic practices as a means of conserving the limited and fragile agricultural resources available to the island states, while at the same time carving a niche on the world market to ensure economic sustainability. At the most recent regional workshop on Sustainable Organic Production, held in Guyana in September 2004, stakeholders identified the need for reliable inputs for the burgeoning organic agriculture movement in the region.
In this regard, FAO, the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture have been asked to spearhead an initiative to address this concern. To this end, the three agencies will be collaborating to conduct a series of training workshops on Organic Fertilizer Production during February and March 2005. National workshops will be held in Barbados from February 14 - 18 and in Trinidad and Tobago from February 28 - March 4, while a sub-regional workshop will be held in Dominica from February 21 - 26 and will include participants from the neighbouring islands of Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The theme of the workshop will be "Soil Regeneration for Sustainable Agriculture" and will concentrate on Vermicomposting and Organic Fertilizer Production Methods. Participants of the workshop will include local producers, extension officials, lending institutions and entrepreneurs who may see composting as a business opportunity.
The workshop will be conducted by Professor Sun Zhenjun, an organic fertilizer expert from the China Agricultural University, who specializes in Vermiculture. Dr. Sun is a member of many professional societies, including the Ecological Societies of China and the United States of America and has been involved in earthworm research since 1992. He has also written many publications in the area of vermicomposting.
4. World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) : Forum and D-Group Discussions
The World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is the international standard for soil taxonomic nomenclature.
In follow up of the General WRB Meeting held in Petrozavodsk , Russia, in August 2004 , proposals for changes to the present text (FAO World Soil Resources Report # 84) were made.
The WRB Board wishes to submit these proposals to the soil science community at large and receive comments and constructive criticism to improve the prepared new draft.
AGLL has established discussion group sites on the Internet that deal with sets of subjects and Reference Soil Groups where you can send your comments.
A fully revised WRB document will be presented at the 18th IUSS Congress to be held in Philadelphia, USA, in July 2006.
In the discussion we welcome comments on the definitions for the Reference Soil Groups, the diagnostic soil horizons and their qualifiers.
The Forum will run until the end of April 2005.
For more information see: http://www.fao.org/landandwater/agll/wrb/news.stm
Contact: freddy.nachtergaele@fao.org
5. THE SECOND SOUTHEAST ASIA WATER FORUM "Better Water Management Through Public Participation" August 29 - September 2, 2005, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
The Second Southeast Asia Water from will be organized by Global Water Partnership-Southeast Asia, the Directorate General of Water Resources, Ministry of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure, Republic of Indonesia and Kemitraan Air Indonesia (Indonesia Water Partnership) in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, from 29 August to 2 September.
FAO, with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the International Commission of Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Prince of Songhkla University (Thailand) are convening, at the occasion of the Water Forum, a session on: Caring for and using rural watersheds, while improving water services for agriculture, and coastal ecosystems (including tsunami responses), which will focus on three topics:
A. Improving water services for agriculture in rural watersheds;
Technical coordinator: FAO, with IWMI and ICID
Contact: Thierry Facon, FAO-RAP, 39, Phra Athit road, Banglamphoo, Bangkok 10200, Thailand, tel: +66-2-6974156, email: Thierry.Facon@fao.org, fax: +66-2-6974445
B. Caring for and using coastal ecosystems: application of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) as a response to issues and management in Tsunami-affected areas in Asia
Technical coordinator: AIT/Prince of Songhkla University, with IWMI and FAO
Contact: Dr Somsak, CORIN/AIT Twinning Program, Prince of Songhkla University, email: bsomsak@ait.ac.th
C. Reconciling agricultural water services, management and protection of rural and coastal ecosystem in rural watersheds
Technical coordinator: IWMI, with FAO
Contact: Ian W Makin, IWMI SEA, PO Box 1025, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10903, Thailand. Fax: +66 2 561 1230; email: i.makin@cgiar.org
General information on the 2nd Southeast Asia Water forum and registration can be found at: http://www.inawater.com/ssawf/.
Professionals interested in preparing a paper, making a presentation, or participating in the session are invited to go to the website and follow instructions for the call for papers, and to contact the technical coordinators for the sub-sessions of their interest, or the overall coordinator for the session.
6. Tendances actuelles du marche mondial des engrais et perspectives jusqu'en 2008/09
Ce rapport présente les projections de l'offre et de la demande mondiales à moyen terme pour les engrais azotés, phosphatés et potassiques pour la période allant de 2003/04 à 2008/09. Le groupe de travail FAO/ Organisations des producteurs d'engrais a réalisé ces prévisions en juin 2004. Ce rapport est basé sur la cinquante et unième édition de l'Annuaire des Engrais de la FAO (2003). Cette publication conjointe du Service d'analyse statistique et du Service de gestion des terres et de la nutrition des plantes de la FAO rassemble des informations sur les tendances en matière de consommation, de production et de commerce des engrais. En se basant sur ces informations, la FAO, en collaboration avec des experts du groupe de travail traitant de la production et du commerce des engrais, fournit des prévisions à cinq ans sur les équilibres de l'offre et de la demande d'engrais aux niveaux mondial et régional.
Contact : Tanja.VandenBergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or download at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/cwfto08f.pdf (439kB)
7. Tendencias mundiales actuales y perspectivas de los fertilizantes al 2008/09
En este informe se presentan la oferta de fertilizantes de nitrógeno, fosfato y potasio a medio plazo y las proyecciones de demanda para el periodo 2003/04 - 2008/09. El Grupo de Trabajo de la FAO/Organizaciones de Fertilizantes hizo las predicciones en Junio de 2004. Este informe se apoya en la cincuenta y una edición del Anuario de Fertilizantes de la FAO (2003). Es una publicación conjunta de los Servicios de la FAO: Gestión de Análisis Estadístico y de Gestión de las Tierras y de la Nutrición de Plantas e incluye información sobre tendencias en el consumo de fertilizantes, producción y comercio. Basándose en esta información y en colaboración con expertos de fertilizantes, la de Trabajo involucrados en la producción y comercio de fertilizantes, la FAO proporciona una predicción a cinco años del balance de la oferta y demanda mundial y regional de fertilizantes.
Contact : Tanja.VandenBergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or download at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/cwfto08s.pdf (258kB)
8. Fertilizer use by crop in Egypt
Agricultural land accounts for only 3.5 percent of the land area of Egypt. Two thirds of the agricultural land is alluvial soil, fertilized for thousands of years by the Nile floods, and one third is land recovered since the 1950s. Rainfall is minimal and almost all the agricultural land is irrigated. Soil salinity and water logging are important problems in the reclaimed areas. Sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation are common on the recovered area and fertigation is used on 13 percent of the land. There are up to three harvests per year, the overall cropping intensity being 180 percent. Crop yields and rates of fertilizer use are relatively high. In order to provide for a large and increasing population, while economizing scarce resources and minimizing adverse environmental impacts, the efficiency of use of both fertilizers and water needs to be improved. Continuing efforts must be made to communicate information on the best practices to a generally receptive farmer audience. Farmers Field Schools make an important contribution to the transfer of information.
Contact : Tanja.VandenBergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or download at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fertuseegypt.pdf (2.58MB)
9. Fertilizer use by crop in Malaysia
The development of the agriculture sector and improvement of the living standards of small-scale farmers are priorities of the Government of Malaysia. A higher level of agricultural production requires an increased and/or more efficient use of inputs, especially fertilizers. Fertilizer purchases by smallholder farmers are subsidized. A better use of available organic wastes, organic farming and integrated farming systems is being promoted. There is a highly competitive distribution sector for fertilizers. Fertilizer use in Malaysia is characterized by a large consumption of directly applied phosphate rock, attributable to the acidic nature of the soils and the large area of perennial plantation crops, and of potassium owing to the large area of oil-palm. Oil-palm is by far the largest fertilizer-consuming crop in Malaysia. In this publication, the quantities of fertilizers used on thirty crops, divided into five groups, are calculated based on recommended fertilizer rates, expected and achieved yields. Information is given on fertilizer prices, crop prices and, as an indication of the profitability of fertilizer use, the crop price: nutrient price ratios for a selection of fruit and vegetable crops.
Contact : Tanja.VandenBergen@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or download at
(818kB)
10. Carbon sequestration in dryland soils, Publication Series: World Soil Resources Report 102
This publication reflects part of FAO's work on soil carbon sequestration within the framework of its programme on the integrated planning and management of land resources for sustainable rural development. The report presents a comprehensive analysis of the scientific aspects and potential for carbon sequestration in drylands - some of the most soil-degraded and impoverished regions of the world.
It is based on case studies carried out across different landuse and management systems in several distinctive dryland areas. The report includes an overview of the policies and clarification of the different economic incentives regarding soil carbon sequestration in order to determine how available resources can be used and specific programmes can be implemented to improve the food security and rural livelihoods in drylands.
ISBN 92-5-105230-1 / ISSN 0532-0488
Contact : Jacques.Antoine@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or download at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/wsrr102.pdf (3057kB)
11. Utilisation des phosphates naturels pour une agriculture durable : Bulletin Fao Engrais Et Nutrition Végétale 13
Des recherches approfondies sur le potentiel agronomique et l'efficacité des phosphates naturels (PN) comme source de phosphore ont été effectuées notamment en Afrique, en Asie et en Amérique Latine. Beaucoup d'informations sont disponibles mais elles sont dispersées dans divers rapports et publications. Ce bulletin reprend de façon détaillée les principaux thèmes concernant l'utilisation des PN en agriculture ainsi que les derniers résultats de la recherche en la matière. Il propose les modalités de leur application directe (PNAD) dans les sols acides des zones tropicales et subtropicales.
Les thèmes sélectionnés sont les suivants: gisements de PN dans le monde; caractérisation des PN; méthodologies d'évaluation des sources de PN pour l'application directe; analyse des facteurs biophysiques et des facteurs de production qui affectent l'efficacité agronomique des PN; analyse des conditions socio-économiques qui influencent l'utilisation et l'adoption des technologies liées aux PN en tant qu'investissement pour favoriser l'intensification agricole; développement et utilisation des systèmes d'aide à la décision pour les PNAD; analyse de la teneur en phosphore du sol pour l'application de PN; technologies disponibles pour augmenter l'efficacité agronomique des sources locales de PN; questions environnementales; questions légales; voies de recherche prioritaires.
ISBN 92-5-205030-2 / ISSN 0259-8180
Contact : Rabindra.Roy@fao.org
It is available for on-line reading and/or download at
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/fpnb13_f.pdf (4.90MB)
12. CD-ROM #29 Sistema de Información de Recursos de Tierras (SIRT), FAO Serie de medios digitales sobre tierras y aguas
El presente CD-ROM es una nueva iniciativa de la FAO para promover los SIRT, en base a experiencias concretas y reuniones de expertos, llevadas a cabo en América Latina, con el fin de sensibilizar a los encargados de tomar decisiones en el ámbito del desarrollo rural y medio ambiente para que incorporen los SIRT como herramienta para realizar una mejor gestión y un gasto público más eficiente por medio de una focalización territorial. [Especificaciones mínimas: PC Pentium III 750 Mhz o mayor, mínimo 128 MRAM, con Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP o NT, con MS Power Point. Resolución de pantalla 800 x 600]
ISBN 92-5-305234-1 / ISSN 1020-7147
Contact: Jacques.Antoine@fao.org
Copies of this CD-ROM can be ordered from:
publication-sales@fao.org
13. National Soil Degradation Maps, based on GLASOD (UNEP/ISRIC)
http://www.fao.org/landandwater/agll/glasod/glasodmaps.jsp
This website, previously only covering African countries, has been extended to give world-wide coverage of soil degradation assessments by country based on the GLASOD survey carried out during the 1980's by UNEP and ISRIC. Data on soil degradation have been linked with population numbers and densities in the mapping units. For each country the extent of each severity class of soil degradation and the associated population numbers (LandScan 2000) in the area mapped are given. More details on soil degradation assessments are included in the document below.
More maps on the type and causes of soil degradation are available on the TERRASTAT CD ROM:
http://www.fao.org/landandwater/lwdms.stm#cd20.
Background Document "Soil Degradation Assessment" :
ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/landdegradationassessment.doc
Contact: Freddy.Nachtergaele@fao.org
14. Global Map of Irrigated Areas; co-operation between FAO and the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany
FAO and the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany co-operate in the development and maintenance of the Global Map of Irrigated Areas. The first version of this map was developed in 1999 by Stefan Siebert and Petra Döll on the basis of cartographic information and FAO statistics, showing the amount of area equipped for irrigation at the end of the 20th century in percentage of the total area on a raster with a resolution of 30 arc minutes. Version 2.1 was published in 2002 on a grid resolution of 5 arc minutes and included updated maps of Latin-America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. The next step in improving the dataset was the inclusion of the continent of Asia, which became available in January 2005 and is presented in version 2.2. For the update of the map for Asia, an inventory of sub-national irrigation statistics for the continent was compiled. Irrigation maps were derived from project reports, irrigation sub-sector studies or books related to irrigation and drainage and were compared to satellite images in many regions. The reference year for the update of the map is the year 2000.
The complete documentation of the Global Map of Irrigated Areas is always available at:
http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/aquastat/irrigationmap/index.stm
From this address the map can also be downloaded.
Contact: S.Siebert@em.uni-frankfurt.de and Jippe.Hoogeveen@fao.org
15. Upcoming Vacancy Of Full Professor Of "Earth Surface Processes"
The Chair of Earth Surface Processes is a chair in the field of Physical Geography within the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics of the Faculty of Science of the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA). The Chair's research of processes and properties of the terrestrial earth surface including the soil, at scales ranging from micro-scale up to hill slopes or landscapes, has a long and productive record. While this strength is to be continued, a more integrated approach will be adopted.
Scientific challenges
* to quantify and model the interrelationships between geomorphological, soil and biotic processes, in relation to their properties and their heterogeneity in space and time
* to develop models that predict the effect of environmental change on terrestrial earth surface processes at local scales
* to increase our understanding of the fate of natural and anthropogenic substances in terrestrial and adjacent aquatic systems
* to analyse, explain and reduce the discrepancy between laboratory and field observations
* to develop and improve techniques for measurement of key processes and properties at local and transcending scales
Teaching
The Chair plays a major role in the BSc programme of "Earth Sciences -Physical Geography" and the MSc programmes of "Earth Surface Processes" and "Earth and Environmental Sciences". A general overview of Physical Geography and affinity and experience with scientific education is therefore a prerequisite.
More info: http://www.science.uva.nl/ibed/fg
Contact: Prof. Dr. Ir. Willem Bouten, w.bouten@science.uva.nl, tel +31-20 5257412 / +31 20 5257451