Prof. Chandra Madramootoo, Dean of Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University of Canada, and the former President of International Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), visited IWHR on November 1, 2016 and lectured at IWHR Global Vision Forum.

IWHR President Kuang Shangfu, Vice President Peng Jing and Chief Engineer Gao Zhanyi met with Prof. Madramootoo.

President Kuang Shangfu gave his warm welcome to Prof. Madramootoo. President Kuang said that, Prof. Madramootoo, during his term as the ICID President, had been supportive to China and to CNCID in terms of enhancing the international influence and voice of China in the international irrigation and drainage circle. As both the honorary professor and overseas member of the Science and Technology Committee of IWHR, Prof. Madramootoo has made his positive contributions to the communication and exchanges between IWHR and international irrigation and drainage circle as well as with McGill University. President Kuang expected to get more prospective insights from Prof. Madramootoo in irrigation and drainage and water resources management, in a bid to jointly safeguard water and food security all over the world.

Prof. Madramootoo thanked IWHR for the warm reception. He gave a high appraisal to the positive efforts and achievements China had made in safeguarding water supply and food security in the face of water shortage. According to Prof. Madramootoo, confronted with climate change, population growth, water resources scarcity, land area contraction, and agricultural population reduction, the world is appealing to more water experts to devote themselves to research and development of advanced technologies and concepts, to guarantee water and food security for the future generations. Prof. Madramootoo also proposed to strengthen cooperation with IWHR in scholar exchange, students co-education, paper publishing, etc.

Prof. Madramootoo Lecturing at Global Vision Forum

After the meeting, Prof. Madramootoo lectured at IWHR's Gobal Vision Forum with the title of Efficient Water Use in Agriculture: the Canadian Experience. Taking the case of Alberta as an example, he introduced the variable rate irrigation concept and technology, by showing its application in the improvement of irrigation efficiency, agricultural economic benefit and ecological environment protection. The lecture aroused strong interest from the audience and led to a heated discussion.