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.

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 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.

Meeting symbol/code: ALAWUC/NE/10

En 2050, la production alimentaire devra avoir augmenté de 70 pour cent environ dans le monde entier et de près de 100 pour cent dans les pays en développement. La demande supplémentaire en produits alimentaires, associée à la demande générée par les utilisations concurrentes, fera peser une pression sans précédent sur de nombreux systèmes de production agricole tout autour de la planète.

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).

The availability and quality of clean water in many regions of the world is more and more threatened by overuse, misuse and pollution. In this context, the relationship between forests and water must be accorded high priority. Forested catchments supply a high proportion of the water for domestic, agricultural, industrial and ecological needs in both upstream and downstream areas. A key challenge faced by land, forest and water managers is to maximize the benefits that forests provide without detriment to water resources and ecosystem function.

In preparing an investment project, development strategies and project components are defined and revisited during project formulation through a consultative process that often includes Socio-economic and Production Systems Studies. These studies are conducted to develop an appreciation of the situation in which the intended beneficiaries live, and their perceptions of their problems, needs and priorities.