Natural salt pollution from geologic formations in the upper watersheds of several large river basins in the Southwestern United States severely constrains the use of otherwise available major water supply sources. The Water Rights Analysis Package modeling system has been routinely applied in Texas since the late 1990s in regional and statewide planning studies and administration of the state’s water rights permit system, but without consideration of water quality.

This thesis is the result of a multidisciplinary research which tries to explain water injustices and the threats to water rights access and control experienced by indigenous peasants of the Peruvian Andes. It attempts to contribute to the analysis of the interactions between ethnicity and gender, and to understand how these form an intrinsic part of the contemporary ethno-politics of water. It also critically analyses the role of state interventions and international financial aid programmes in irrigation development and peasant communities.

Este mes, la celebración anual del Día Mundial del Agua tendrá lugar el 22 de marzo. El tema del Día de este año es Agua para las ciudades: respondiendo al desafío urbano. En el presente número examinamos algunos de los retos planteados por los recursos hídricos a causa de la rapidez de las migraciones, y estudiamos una posible solución para intensificar el aprovechamiento de dichos recursos.

Ce mois-ci, nous célèbrerons, le 22 mars, la journée mondiale de l’eau. Le thème retenu pour cette année est: l’eau pour les villes: répondre au défi urbain. Dans ce numéro, nous vous proposerons une analyse des grands défis auxquels sont confrontées les ressources en eau, en raison de l’accélération des migrations et nous évoquerons une solution possible pour une meilleure utilisation de ces ressources. Nous aurons également le plaisir d’accueillir une nouvelle secrétaire exécutive pour la Commission des ressources génétiques pour l’agriculture.

A terra, ao longo da história, simboliza poderio político, económico e sociocultural não só a nível dos Estados como também das comunidades e do indivíduo. No contexto actual, é um dos principais recursos para o desenvolvimento e qualidade da vida das pessoas, não só no meio rural, como também no urbano e/ou peri-urbano, caracterizando-se como factor de exclusão ou inclusão, emancipação ou marginalização social.

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.

In this issue, we look at a new publication entitled â¿¿Payments for ecosystem services and food securityâ¿¿. This document was produced as part of preparatory process for FAOâ¿¿s participation in the Rio+20 event to be held in 2012. We also look ahead to World Water Week to be held 21-27 August in Stockholm, Sweden, where FAO will participate in a seminar anticipating the theme of 2012â¿¿s World Water Day â¿¿ Water and Food Security.

Dans ce numéro, nous examinerons une nouvelle publication intitulée « Paiements pour services environnementaux et sécurité alimentaire ». Ce document a été produit dans le cadre du processus de préparation de la Conférence Rio+20, prévue en 2012. Nous nous projetterons également dans la semaine mondiale de lâ¿¿eau qui se tiendra à Stockholm, Suède, du 21 au 27 Août, au cours de laquelle la FAO participera à un séminaire destiné à anticiper le thème de la journée mondiale de lâ¿¿eau en 2012 â¿¿ Eau et sécurité alimentaire.

En este número nos proponemos examinar una nueva publicación intitulada Payments for ecosystem services and food security («Pagos por servicios del ecosistema y seguridad alimentaria»). Este documento forma parte del proceso preparatorio de participación de la FAO en Río+20, un acontecimiento por celebrarse en 2012. También proyectamos una mirada sobre la Semana Mundial del Agua, que tendrá lugar en Estocolmo (Suecia) del 21 al 27 de agosto. En esa ocasión la FAO participará en un seminario que anticipará el tema del Día Mundial del Agua de 2012, «Agua y seguridad alimentaria».

This edition of The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) presents objective and comprehensive information and analyses on the current state, trends and challenges facing two of the most important agricultural production factors: land and water.

The country profile is a summary of key information that gives an overview of the water resources and water use at the national level. It can support water-related policy and decision makers in their planning and monitoring activities as well as inform researchers, media and the general public. Information in the report is organized by sections:

Investors often look for land with a high growing potential, which means land with lots of rainfall or land that can be irrigated. In multimillion dollar investments involving irrigation, investors typically want to secure water rights as part of the deal. Motivated by potential revenues from water fees and the prospect of improved agricultural productivity, many African governments are signing away water rights for decades to large investors. But they are doing so with little regard for how this will impact the millions of other users whose livelihoods depend on customary access to water.