This month, we will be marking the annual World Water Day celebration on 22 March. This years theme is Water for the cities: Responding to urban challenges. In this issue, we look at some of the challenges posed to water resources by rapid migration and we consider one possible solution for improving the use of these resources. In this issue, we are pleased to welcome a new Executive Secretary to the Commission for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and we spoke with her about the role of the Commission and its main priorities over the next months.

This Manual has been put together with the objective of assisting actions by the diverse groups of human beings who intervene in the conservation of the natural resources, particularly soil and water resources and in the context of each continent, country, region or zone. The Manual brings together a collection of concepts, experiences and practical suggestions that can be of immediate use for identifying problems and for formulating, executing and evaluating actions so as to benefit and to improve the productivity and conservation of soil and water resources.

Drainage of agricultural land is one of the most critical water management tools for the sustainability of productive cropping systems, as frequently this sustainability is extremely dependent on the control of waterlogging and soil salinization in the rootzone of most crops. On some agricultural lands, the natural drainage is sufficient to maintain high productivity. However, many others require improvements in surface and subsurface drainage in order to optimize land productivity, while maintaining the quality of soil resources.

This paper explains the operation methods in canal irrigation delivery systems using the MASSCOTE approach. It argues that on-farm irrigation scheduling is only possible when the delivery system provides the irrigation water at the expected time, rate and duration.

Policy makers as well as scientists have started to acquire an honest appreciation of the possibilities of reducing the wastage of materials which could be profitably utilized for improving or maintaining soil productivity. In addition, the great opportunities offered by making more efficient use of the potentials of biological nitrogen fixation in farming systems are now fully recognized. A number of recommendations and suggested guidelines were made by the various Working Groups during the two-week Workshop.

As World leaders forged two new big deals in late 2015 – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Climate Change Agreements – over 200 experts and technical officers working in fields related to land and water management, participated in the 3rd Land and Water Days held at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, from 10 to 12 November 2015.

The AgWater Solutions Project aimed at designing agricultural water management (AWM) strategies for smallholder farmers in sub Saharan Africa and in India. The project was managed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and operated jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI) and International Development Enterprise (IDE).

This report describes the project of strengthening the ability of the governments of the Nile Basin states to take informed decisions with regard to water resources policy and management in the Nile Basin. This objective to be achieved through the development of information products that integrate technical water resources and water use data with other relevant data, including in particular demographic, socio-economic and environmental data.

Meeting symbol/code: CL 116 9

Reviews FAO Regional Office for Africa’s activities in 2010, with focus on, among others, the following: Regional Conference for Africa held in Angola, CAADP, climate change, agriculture data tool kit on gender, forestry management, country assistance programmes and activities in South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Liberia, Uganda and Ethiopia.