IWRA founder lectures on global water resources management at IWHR’s Global Vision Forum

As a founder of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA), Prof. Asit K. Biswas and his wife Prof. Cecilia Tortajada, both from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of National University of Singapore visited IWHR on May 24, 2018 and lectured respectively on global water resources management and global food trade and its vulnerabilities. 

Prof. Asit K. Biswas giving lecture 

In his lecture, Prof. Asit K. Biswas pointed out the trend of scientific research from four dimensions, namely the generation, synthesis, dissemination and application of knowledge. Based the tremendous change of China since the reform and opening-up as well as the in-depth progress of the Belt and Road Initiative that he has personally witnessed, Prof. Asit K. Biswas shared his cognition about the possible structural adjustment and the consequential changes in soil and water use in terms of agricultural production and international trades. By comparing the per capita water use volume and its trend of main countries in the world, he noted that water supply and demand control should be equally emphasized in order to solve the water resources stress of the whole society. Prof. Asit K. Biswas fully recognized the achievement of our institute in water related research and development, and also gave his valuable suggestions on how to facilitate the research application and dissemination, knowledge growth and sharing as well as the solving of water security  challenges in a problem-oriented way.

Prof. Cecilia Tortajada giving lecture

Prof. Cecilia Tortajada made a presentation on global food security from the perspectives of affordability, availability as well as quality and safety. She systematically discussed the global distribution of agricultural production and the status quo and trend of agricultural trade, specifically analyzed the impact of multiple factors on global food trade and food security of different countries, and shared her research findings about the uncertainty of food security from the global scale.

At the Global Vision Forum 

The two speakers had further discussions with the audience based on their questions regarding the water saving policies and potential of China, the dissemination and public campaign on the reuse of recycled water, water trade in global food trade, as well as the impact of climate change on water and food security, etc.