News and Events

(last updated December 18, 2006)

The Project was launched in April 2005 with the Inception Workshop, which was announced and described in the CP Newsletter “Water and Food Monthly,” April, 2005 (PDF 199Kb). 

Read the latest newsletter of the Challenge Program on Water and Food.

Update on Training Program: ‘Groundwater Governance in Theory and Practice’

The five-week intensive training course on Groundwater Governance was completed by Nov. 11, 2006. We are very happy to inform you, from the program direction, that it was a major event and based on the reactions received, it was very successful in attaining its objectives.

Twenty-two YPRFs (Young Professional Research Fellows), nine SPRFs (Senior Professional Research Fellows) and two MFs (Media Fellows) have been trained during the intensive and very diverse and interactive training intervention. The participants have gained and exchanged extensive and broad knowledge on challenges, tools and present approaches to groundwater governance in the South Asia and East Asia region as well as from outside, with input and support from more than forty-five trainers and experts from the region and outside.

The detailed program included traditional class room type lectures on theoretical and background knowledge on groundwater hydro-geology, geo-physics, environmental and contamination issues, agronomy, sociology, economy, institution, policies and governance, hands-on access and practice on various modelling and software packages, individual and group exercises, field trips to locations and institutions of interest and relevance to groundwater management in the region, and creative sessions on knowledge sharing, communication, awareness and media coverage.

The five-week program culminated in the last week where the SPRFs joined the YPRFs and the MFs to take part in a conference-type lecture and discussion series on Groundwater Governance, the over-arching topic of the program, which tied the learning and discussions from the previous four weeks together. Several international capacities joined the course as presenters and contributors to this event; inter alia Prof. Jennifer McKay, Professor of Business Law and Director of University of South Australia's Centre for Comparative Water Policies and Laws, Australia, Prof. Prosun Bhattacharya, KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Sweden, and Dr. Jinxia Wang, Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, China.

The course was very well received, by all participants, both trainers and trainees. The overall impression was that the course managed to provide a broad theoretical background as well as a very useful forum for discussion of contemporary groundwater issues and specific issues faced by the individuals in their professional carrier. Some preliminary reactions to the course are given in the previous newsletter. Further feedback will be analysed and critically scrutinized for an overall evaluation and assessment of the course, with the aim to direct the planning of the second cycle of the training program in 2007-2008.

View the photo gallery of the training course

The Research phase of the Training Program

Action research:

The YRPFs and MFs are engaged in field action research in the IGB and YRB. Eight areas have been selected for detailed studies of groundwater use and management challenges and approaches. In each area, 3-5 villages are investigated through surveys and interaction with the local villagers. These villages are characterized by a significant level of dependence on groundwater for irrigation. All villages are subjected to a baseline study as well as studies of case-specific nature, in order to enable regional comparisons as well as a depth understanding of the peculiarities of the conditions in particular settings.

The media fellows will be developing a number of media inputs on the local groundwater conditions for local and national media.

Study tours:

The SPRFs are spending three weeks in the USA or South Australia in order to acquire an in-depth understanding of the working of the groundwater use and associated economics and management in these countries. The collaborating partners for this are the University of Kansas School of Law, USA and the School of Commerce, University of South Australia, lead by Prof. John Peck and Prof. Jennifer McKay, respectively.

Press releases from the study tours:

• USA
• USA
• Australia

Summary Workshop:

A Summary Workshop is scheduled for end of March, 2007 when all fellows join with project researchers and resource persons to present and discuss findings and recommendations for groundwater management in the IGB and YRB as well as recommendations for the second cycle of the training program.

Release of the fist volume in the Groundwater Governance Series

This volume, entited ‘Groundwater Research and Management: Integrating Science into Management Decisions’ was released at the inaugurational function of the course, on Oct. 9, 2006. It is the proceedings of the IWMI-ITP-NIH International Workshop on: "Creating Synergy between Groundwater Research and Management in South and Southeast Asia", held on Feb. 8-9, 2005 in Roorkee, India.

(Link to proceedings above: http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/pubs/Proceedings/index.htm)

First Cycle Training Program

For access to course material .....

Course Trainees share their experiences with us:

Jay Prakash Cahudhary

Cailing Hu