HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 6th AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE (ARCID) OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE (ICID)
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 6th AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE (ARCID) OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE (ICID) Held at: SHEHU MUSA YAR'ADUA CENTRE, ABUJA, NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA On 14TH – 18TH APRIL 2025
The 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage (ARCID) of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) organized by the Nigerian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (NINCID) under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation (FMWRS) in collaboration with the African Regional Working Group (AfRWG) of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, was held at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Nigeria, West Africa from 14th – 18th April 2025.
The Conference was preceded by the Training Workshop for the Young Professionals (YP) that took place on 11th and 12th of April 2025. The workshop was followed with a Field Trip to the Nigeria Farmers Group and Cooperative Society (NFGCS) located in NFGCS Farm Estate, Retson Tedheke Way, Ga’ate Communities, Km20, off Keffi-Akwanga Expressway, Kokona, Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria on the 13th April, 2025.
The main theme of the Conference was “Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crises in Africa” and had the following seven (7) Sub-Themes: –
- Creating Awareness.
- Emerging and Appropriate Technology and Innovation.
- Trans-boundary Water Resources Management and Security Challenges.
- Waste Water Recycling and Reuse.
- Climate Change, Sustainability and Biodiversity.
- Regulatory Framework.
- Public-Private-Partnership (PPP): Policies and Practices.
The Conference brought together 512 stakeholders and experts[1] across the globe but most especially Africa and Donors and Development Agencies to discuss the foregoing pressing issues and to explore adaptive strategies for climate-resilient irrigation systems; share experiences and case studies from African countries on successful irrigation projects, schemes, and policies. It also deliberated on promoting regional and international cooperation, partnerships, and networking among key stakeholders; identify capacity-building needs and strategies for enhancing the skills and knowledge base of professionals in Irrigation and Drainage as well as exploring financing mechanisms and investment models for sustainable irrigation infrastructure development.
