I am extremely pleased to send this very special message marking the founding of ICID some 61 years ago.

Our founding fathers made a very bold decision and took a great leap of faith in 1950. This was well before the green revolution. But nevertheless, there was the obvious feeling at that time, that irrigation, drainage and flood control were crucial to securing the world’s food supply and saving the lives of hundreds of millions from malnutrition and hunger.  

Just a few short years after the founding of ICID, the world witnessed the cruelty and pains of hundreds of millions dying from hunger. A food crisis was ravaging much of Asia. The situation was also worsening in parts of Africa and Latin America. Global efforts centered on the development on new high yielding crop varieties. Water management was critical to the success of the green revolution.

Unfortunately, today we are in the midst of another global food crisis. Over one billion people are suffering from hunger and malnutrition. The commitments made by the 2000 World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals to reduce the number of people suffering from hunger by the year 2015 are not being achieved. In fact the number is increasing. 

The food crisis is further compounded by the growing water crisis. Regions in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia are the worst affected.  Some 800 million people in these parts of the world are affected by severe food and water shortages. Perhaps our ICID founding fathers, are asking whether we have failed to fulfill their dreams and vision. I am sure they imagined that today with all our wealth, technology, advanced education and bright minds, we would have made much more progress in irrigation and drainage.

It seems to me that in our domains of expertise, we have not stalled, but may I suggest that we are perhaps slipping back somewhat.  The question I ask of the entire ICID family on this our Foundation Day, is whether we have the courage and determination to reverse this trend? Can we muster the energy to address much more vigorously the challenges of water scarcity, drought, over-pumping of groundwater, pollution salinization, and inefficiencies in irrigation water delivery? 

While on one hand, we must today celebrate the many glorious achievements of ICID, we must on the other hand, make a commitment to the world’s disadvantaged, that we will do better and refocus our talent to helping solve the current food and water crises. I for one am hopeful, as I do believe that in the same way that we led several bold innovations and improved the design and operation of irrigation and drainage systems over the past 61 years, we could be even bolder and imaginative in the years to come. 

We in ICID must remain committed to our mission, and I urge all in the ICID family to come together in a positive way to advance progress towards reducing poverty, hunger, human suffering and indignity, and inequality. Let us harness our talent and resources to implement sustainable solutions to water management for global food security.

With my deepest congratulations and best wishes.

Yours truly,

Chandra A. Madramootoo
President, ICID