OMAN, Jordan – Prominent businessman Dr Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed presented at a recent meeting organized by a United Nations (UN) body his idea on how to managed water resources for agricultural development.



Dr. Al-Rasheed was invited by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to address the Technology Center Board of Governors Meeting and Water Sanitation Seminar on March 11 at the El Hassan Science City in Amman, Jordan.



ESCWA was promoting the exchange of experience, best practice and lessons learned among its member countries to facilitated regional integration and support economic and social development in the area.



Dr Al Rasheed’s presentation entitled “Sustainable Water and its Optimal Use in Agriculture” was about “water resources management for sustainability and its optimal use in agriculture.



Dr Rasheed also  spoken about his book “Agricultural Development Strategies: the Saudi Experience” and the role of agriculture in enhancing security, alleviating poverty and promoting economic growth.



The world’s water problems stem from people’s failure to meet basic human needs, ineffective or inappropriate institutions and management, and their inability to balance human needs with the needs of the natural world, a press statement from the organizers said.



Agriculture uses approximately 70 percent of the world’s freshwater supply. But agricultural water use is under growing pressure as demands for water increase due to competition among cities, farmers, and environmental grows. Against this backdrop, concerns have been raised over large-scale overdraft of groundwater and water contamination from agricultural runoff.



New threats to the depleting water supply include the challenges of climate change, which is likely to alter both water availability and agricultural water demands.



“We need to look at ways of increasing water productivity in food production: greater focus is needed on the goods and services provided by that water use, e.g., water-use efficiency and productivity, crop per drop or output per drop,” the statement said.



Thus, the growing need for sustainable water and its optimal use in agriculture around the world has fueled a search for effective ways of delivering it. Addressing water challenges will minimize the risk of food crisis, migration, and possibly another Arab Spring or regional conflicts.



Other speakers at the seminar include Prince Hassan Bin Talal, Chairman of UN-SGAB, who will deliver the keynote speech on the Role of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNGSAB) in improving water and sanitation services; Ms Rima Khalaf, Executive Secretary (UN-ESCWA) for the opening statements; and  Mohammed Al-Hamdi, who spoke about Water and Sanitation within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



The seminar was attended by members of the board of governors of UN-ESCWA including professionals, academics and business people from the member countries. — SG