About ICID Congress

ICID has been organizing its flagship triennial event International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage since 1951. The ICID triennial Congresses are organized to discuss and evaluate the upcoming and dynamic changes within the water sector in the entire world. In the face of global warming, changing climatic conditions, exploding population, increasing demand, and ever-changing technological advancements, ICID Congresses aims to deliberate and develop solutions for the concurrent challenges in this sector. Considering the multi-disciplinary nature of issues, the congresses address the bigger concerns faced by the global population in terms of water-food security, water-saving and the availability of water for everyone.

Every third year, from the emerging global trends, two Questions or thematic areas are identified, on which papers are presented, a Special Session, Symposium, and History Seminar is organized and showcased on our global platform. Participation is usually open to all National Committees and their members; to the nationals of member countries; other qualified international organizations; and, some of the invitees from non-member countries. The technical proceedings of the Congresses are compiled in the form of Transactions which are considered to be an authoritative guide and reference volume to researchers and professionals across the world, including farmers at grassroots levels.

The 1st ICID Congress was held in 1951 in Delhi. So far, ICID has held 24 Triennial Congresses, the most recent one being, the 24th ICID Congress was held in Adelaide in the month of October 2022. The 25th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage is being organized by Indian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (INCID) on the theme ‘Tackling Water Scarcity in Agriculture’ from 01 - 08 November 2023, in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh state, India at Radisson Blu Resort.

The list of questions addressed by Congress clearly indicates a progressive shift from purely technical questions to multi-sectoral concerns of sustainability, water accounting, and global water and food security issues.

Theme / Questions Discussed in Congresses

Place and Date
Congress themes / Questions discussed

Adelaide, Australia
3-10 October 2022

24th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

THEME: Innovation and research in agriculture water management to achieve sustainable development goals

  • Question 62: What Role Can Information And Communication Technology Play In Travelling The Last Mile?
  • Question 63: What Role Is Played By Multi-Disciplinary Dialogue To Achieve Sustainable Development Goals?
  • Special Session: Developing the future tools for managing uncertainty in irrigation water supply
  • Symposium: Integrated Approaches to Irrigation Management in Future

Mexico City, Mexico 
8-14 October 2017

23rd International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

THEME: Modernizing Irrigation and Drainage for a New Green Revolution

  • Question 60: Water Productivity: Revisiting the concepts in light of water, energy and food nexus
  • Question 61: State of knowledge of irrigation techniques and practicalities within given socio-economic settings
  • Special Session: Irrigation techniques for reuse of wastewater in agriculture and its impact on health and environment
  • Symposium: Global Review of institutional reforms in irrigation sector for sustainable agriculture water management
  • Seminar: Water Use in food value chains: a Challenge for a New Green Revolution?

 

Gwangju, Republic of Korea
14-20 September 2014

22nd International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

THEME: Securing Water for Food and Rural Community under Climate Change

  • Question 58: How Irrigation and Drainage Play an Important Role in Climate Change Adaptation?
  • Question 59: How Do Irrigation and Drainage Interventions Secure Food Production and Livelihood for Rural Community?
  • Special Session: New Partnership for Rural Development
  • Symposium: Non-point Sources Pollution (NPS) and Best Management Practices (BMPs)
  • Workshop: Sustainable Management of Tidal Area in the Era of Climate Change

Tehran, Iran
15-23 October 2011

21st International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme Water productivity towards food security

Question 57: Water Management in Rainfed Agriculture
Question 56: Water and Land Productivity Challenges

Lahore, Pakistan
13-18 October 2008

20th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme Participatory Integrated Water Resources Management - From Concepts to Actions

Question 55: Roles of Public and Private Sectors in Water Resources Development and Management
Question 54: Sustainable Integrated Water Resource Management
Beijing, China
10-18 September 2005

19th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme : Use of Water and Land for Food and Environmental Sustainability

Question 53: Harmonious Coexistence with Flood Water
Question 52: Improving Water and Land Management for Increasing Efficiency in Irrigated Agriculture

Montreal, Canada
21-28 July 2002

18th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme : Food Production Under Conditions of Water Scarcity, Increasing Population and Environmental Pressures

Question 51: Integration and management of irrigation, drainage and flood control
Question 50: Food production, poverty alleviation and environmental challenges as influenced by limited water resources and population growth
Granada, Spain
11-19 September 1999

17th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme : Water for Agriculture in the next millennium

Question 49: Rehabilitation and modernization of irrigation and drainage systems.
Question 48: Irrigation under conditions of water scarcity
Cairo, Egypt
15-22 September 1996

16th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme : Sustainability of irrigated agriculture

Question 47: Irrigation planning and management: Measures in harmony with the environment.
Question 46: Farmers' participation towards sustainable irrigated agriculture.

The Hague, Netherlands
04-11 September 1993

15th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme : Water management in the next century

Question 45: Irrigation and drainage systems management - institutional and financial interrelationships.
Question 44: Planning and design of irrigation and drainage systems.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 
30 April-04 May 1990

14th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 43: The role of irrigation in mitigating the effects of drought.
Question 42: The influence of irrigation and drainage on the environment with particular emphasis on impact on the quality of surface and ground waters.
Casablanca, Morocco
21-26 September 1987

13th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Theme : Improving water management in developing countries

Question 41: Improving water management through training.
Question 40: Rehabilitation and modernization of irrigation and drainage projects for improving water management.
Fort Collins, USA
28 May- 02 June 1984

12th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 39: Irrigation and drainage of problems soils.
Question 38: Water management factors.
Grenoble, France
31 August 06 September 1981

11th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 37: Flood control in relation to land use planning and water management.
Question 36: Improvement and modernization of existing irrigation and drainage systems.

Athens, Greece
24 May-04 June 1978

10th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 35: Operation and maintenance of irrigation and drainage systems (Organization, maintenance equipment, operation, etc.).
Question 34: Lateral subsurface drainage techniques and drainage construction methods.

Question 33: Economic evaluation of irrigation projects - studies developed and case studies of economic and environmental effects.

Moscow, USSR
28 July-02 August 1975

9th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 32: Comparison of advanced methods of irrigation including development of irrigation by pumping.
Question 31: Planning of development of ground water for irrigation.

Question 30: Sediment controlling irrigation intake structures.

Varna, Bulgaria
17-27 May 1972

8th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 29: Factors affecting river training, and flood plain regulation (including flood zoning).
Question 28: Recent and promising developments including mechanization of operations in the field of irrigation and drainage.

Question 27: Field irrigation and drainage in deltaic, coastal and low-lying areas.

Mexico City, Mexico
9-19 April 1969

7th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 26: Development of new irrigable and drained areas - procedures and policies.
Question 25: Methods and economics of operation and maintenance of drainage systems in agricultural areas.
Question 24: Hydraulic structures on small channels.
Question 23: Water requirements of crops.

New Delhi, India
4-13 January 1966

6th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 22: Integrated operation of reservoirs for irrigation, flood control and other purposes.
Question 21: Development of deltaic areas.
Question 20: Sediment in irrigation and drainage channels.
Question 19: Reclamation of saline lands under irrigation.

Tokyo, Japan
14-21 May 1963

5th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 18: Flood prevention and control by surface and subsurface retention or spreading.
Question 17: Control of water table in drained lands - prevention of overdrainage.
Question 16: Efficiency of water distribution and use on the land.
Question 15: Economics and financing of irrigation, and flood control works.

Madrid, Spain
29 May - 04 June 1960

4th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 14: Use of longitudinal embankments or levees as flood protection measures.
Question 13: Tolerance of plants to minerals in solution in irrigation water and in soil.
Question 12: Sprinkler irrigation and comparison with other methods of irrigation.
Question 11: Reclamation of waterlogged and marshy lands.

San Francisco, USA
30 April -06 May 1957

3rd International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 10: Interrelation between irrigation and drainage.

Question 9: Hydraulic structures on irrigation and drainage systems.

Question 8: Soil and water relationship in irrigation.

Question 7: Canal lining

Algiers, Algeria
12-17 April 1954

2nd International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 6: Ground Water : Its use for irrigation, safe yield from a unit area or basin, artificial recharge of supply and planned utilization of underground reservoirs.
Question 5: The maintenance of irrigation and drainage channels with special reference to weed control.
Question 4: Behavior of subsoil water table under a system of irrigation and/or drainage.
Question 3: The problem of freeboard in irrigation channels.

Delhi, India
11-16 January 1951

1st International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage

Question 2: Present-day problems in irrigation and drainage.
Question 1: National review of irrigation development and practice.

AnchorSpecial Sessions held during ICID congresses
Year
Topics / Themes
2022
 Developing the future tools for managing uncertainty in irrigation water supply
2017
 Irrigation techniques for reuse of wastewater in agriculture and its impact on health and environment
2014
 New Partnership for Rural Development

2011

Modernization of Water Management Schemes

2008

Implication of Global Changes on Irrigation and Drainage System Development and Management

2005

Legal and institutional challenges

2002

Research and development in irrigation, drainage and flood control

1999

Sustainable use of poor quality water

1996

The future of irrigation under increased demand from competitive uses of water and greater needs for food supply

1993

Irrigation and drainage competition for water

1990

Socio-economic and technological impacts of mechanized irrigation systems

1987

The role and integration of irrigation, drainage and flood control projects in the national development plans of developing countries

1984

Impact of the energy crisis on irrigation and drainage

1981

Methods of post-project evaluation : Achievements and remedial measures

1978

Mass transfer of water over long distances for regional development and its effects on the human environment

1975

Environmental control for irrigation, drainage and flood control projects

1972

Essential measures for introduction and development of irrigation and drainage schemes in developing countries

1969

Essential elements necessary for successful irrigated agriculture

1966

New and promising developments in the field of irrigation, drainage and flood control

AnchorSymposia's held during ICID congresses
Year
Topics / Themes
2022
 Integrated Approaches to Irrigation Management in Future
2017
 Global Review of institutional reforms in irrigation sector for sustainable agriculture water management
2014
 Non-point Sources Pollution (NPS) and Best Management Practices (BMPs)

2011

Climate Change Impacts on Soil and Water Resources

2008

Integrated Water Management in the River Basin Context

2005

Water quality/salinity management

2002

Private sector participation in irrigation and drainage

1999

Irrigated agriculture - Constraints, future role and crop diversification

1996

Management information systems in irrigation and drainage

1993

The impact of real time information on system management

1990

Real-time scheduling of water deliveries

1987

Designing and operating irrigation systems, particularly on-farm systems, having insufficient capacity to meet peak water requirements in semi-arid regions, with emphasis on economics

1984

New developments in the protection of irrigation/drainage and flood control structures on
rivers

1981

Principles of designing control systems for water resources and irrigation using modern techniques

1978

Development of techniques to recharge subterranean aquifers to conserve surplus river flows

1975

Introduction of automatic facilities for the needs of collecting and processing of information, planning and managing in the fields of irrigation and drainage

1972

Water resources system planning with special reference to irrigation, drainage and flood control

1969

The application of computers in the analysis of various problems relating to irrigation and drainage systems


For more information, please visit https://icid-ciid.org/event/detail/25