ICARDA at the 4th World Irrigation Forum

From September 7-13, 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia became the epicenter of global dialogue on sustainable irrigation and water management as the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) and the Malaysian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (MANCID) hosted the 4th World Irrigation Forum (WIF4).

Under growing climate and demographic pressures, the 4th World Irrigation Forum brought together global experts, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss the future of irrigation, agricultural water management, and food security.  This event offered more than dialogue, it sparked collaboration, showcased innovative solutions, and charted a path for sustainable irrigation and resilient water management.  

A Strong Voice in Plenaries and Policy Dialogues

Dr. Vinay Nangia, ICARDA’s Research Team Leader – Soil, Water, and Agronomy, delivered a keynote speech in the “Technology and Modernization in the Agricultural Sector Towards Food Security.” session on September 8, where he showcased ICARDA’s cutting-edge research and innovations in dryland agriculture water management and highlighted the role of digital tools, water-smart practices, and farmer-centered solutions.

At the institutional level, ICARDA joined the High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) as one of the select international organizations, alongside ADB, FAO, IWMI, the World Water Council, and the World Bank. This meeting reinforced ICARDA’s pivotal role in shaping global policy discussions, especially as its outcomes are expected to produce policy recommendations and a global roadmap to strengthen the role of irrigation in ensuring world food security.

A major highlight of ICARDA’s presence at WIF4 was the co-organization of several technical sessions that brought practical solutions for sustainable water use to the forefront of discussions.

In the “Green Transition and Precision Water Management” session , Dr. Mohie Omar, ICARDA Research Associate Irrigation and Water, delivered a presentation on ICARDA's cutting-edge research in green transition, including agrivoltaics, solar powered desalination and drip irrigation, controlled drainage, biofortification and use of biochar as well as recently launched research on atmospheric water harvesting.  

This session has also featured contributions from IWMI, the University of Minnesota, CGIAR, WAPCOS, and UPEI, showcasing pathways to improve efficiency and sustainability.

In partnership with Tottori University, ICARDA co-hosted a session on “the use of the numerical model WASH 1D/2D for optimizing irrigation management”. Developed through over a decade of research in Egypt, Japan, Jordan, and Morocco, this tool helps users make smarter decisions about when, where, and how much water to apply.

Building Partnerships for Impact

In addition to the plenary and technical sessions, ICARDA held bilateral meetings with FAO, ICID, and national partners from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, Nepal, and other dryland countries to strengthen collaboration, advance joint research, and expand knowledge-sharing platforms to address shared challenges in agricultural water management.

Through partnerships and innovation, this Forum provided an excellent opportunity to reaffirm ICARDA’s active commitment to delivering innovative and practical solutions for water and food security in dryland regions.