Pagina 2

Background

The International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (IRCSA) aims to link those with an interest in the direct collection of rainwater and its storage for domestic and agricultural suply. IRCSA hopes to attract membership both from organizations and individuals who are implementing rainwater catchment technologies and from those researching all aspects of design, construction, water quality, operation, implementation, user education, and related areas.

The first International Rainwater Cisterns Systems Conference was convened in Hawaii in June 1982. Subsequent International Conferences have followed on a two-yearly basis and were held in the US Virgin Islands (1984), Kenya (1993), China (1995), Iran (1997), Brazil (1999), and Germany (2001).

Insertar formato de captura de datos para registro.

Pagina 3

G
e
n
e
r
a
l
Objetive

Over 800 participants from more than 90 developing and developed countries are expected to attend the XI International Rainwater Conference in Mexico City, from 22-26 September, 2003 gathered to review the state of the art and to exchange experiences and information on enhancing collection and effective use of rainwater for domestic, agriculture, industry, fresh water and ecology, and environmental purposes.

Pagina 4

Water Scarcity

Water scarcity affects rainfed and irrigated agriculture and directly threatens the livelihood of billions of people, particularly in developing countries. Agriculture is the larger user of freshwater, 70% of it is used to provide food, natural fibers and to employ billions of rural dwellers. Consequently, this has forced millions of farmers, in their search for suitable land and to adequate water supplies for crop production, to increase the rate of deforestation and desertification. As a consequence, environmental degradation has increased further threatening food security (hundreds of millions of people trying to cope with water shortages on about 450,000,000 ha of cropland and billions of hectares of grazing land). Maximizing water use efficiency is essential, and that means better and cheaper methods of rainwater harvesting in places where irrigation water is not available in adequate amounts.

Projections for the year 2050 show that 66 countries, comprising about two-thirds of the world population, will face moderate to severe water scarcity. The consequences of water shortages on economic and social development, political stability and preservation of life are immeasurable.
Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Presidente Honorario del Comité Organizador

C. Javier Usabiaga Arroyo
Secretario de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación.
Presidente del Cómite Organizador 

C. Victor Lichtinger Waisman 
Secretario de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales

Ing. José A. Mendoza Zazueta
Director General de FIRCO

Lic. Cristóbal Jaime Jaquez
Director General de la Comisión Nacional 
Organizing Committee
del Agua
Dr. Alvaro A. Aldama Rodríguez
Director General del IMTA

Dr. Benjamín Figueroa Sandoval
Director General del Colegio de Postgraduados

Dr. José Reyes Sánchez
Rector de la Universidad Autónoma Chapingo.

Lic. Manuel Agustín Reed Segovia
Director General de CONAZA

Dr. Francisco Gavi Reyes
Presidente de la Sociedad Mexicana de la Ciencia del Suelo, A. C.. 

Dr. Manuel Anaya Garduño
Instituto de Recursos Naturales del C.P.

Pagina 5

Maximizing water use efficiency is essential, and that means better and cheaper methods of rainwater harvesting in places where irrigation water is not available in adequate amounts.

Projections for the year 2050 show that 66 countries, comprising about two-thirds of the world population, will face moderate to severe water scarcity. The consequences of water shortages on economic and social development, political stability and preservation of life are immeasurable.
President: Prof. Andrew Lo (Taiwan)

Dr. G.K. Bambrah (Kenya)
Prof. Yu-Si Fok (U.S.A.)
Prof Richard Heggen (U.S.A.)
Dr. Terry Thomas (UK)
Dr. Makato Maruse (Japan)
Dr. Jessica C. Salas (Philippines)
Prof. Shou-Chyuan Chu (Taiwan)
Dr. Chang Xing Jin (China)
Dr. Robert S. Schemenauer (Canada)
Prof. G. Babaev (Turkmenistan)
Dr. M. Anaya Garduño (Mexico)
Dr. Lijuan Li (China)
Dr. Haisheng Mou (China)
International Steering Committee
Dr. Bahri Cevik (Turkey)
Dr. Tanveer Arif (Pakistan)
Dr. M. Daulat Hossain (Bangladesh)
Mr. John Gould (UK)
Mr. Johannes Lehmann (Germany)

Pagina 6

Theme
"Towards a New Green Revolution and Sustainable Development through an Efficient use of Rainwater". This theme is intended to provide a forum for specialists coming from more than 90 countries who face problems related with desertification, drought, water supply and sanitation, water for megacities, and food security. The objetive of this conference is to develop a comprehensive approach towards sustainable development through rainwater catchment systems, achieving a balance between socioeconomic development, and proper management of rainwater.

Mexico
Two thirds of the mexican territory are arid or semiarid zones, where human activity depends on low, seasonal and variable rainfall, and the zones are vulnerable to droughts and other climatic variations.
There is a significant geographic mismatch between water resources and population of Mexico; only 12% of the nation's water is on the central plateau where 60% of the population and 50% of the basic cropland are located.
Mexico, before the spanish conquest, during the Viceroyalty and after the Independence War, has been always appreciative of water supplies, the importance of controlling its flow and turning it into a vital socioeconomic infrastructure for allocating it among industrial, urban, and agricultural systems.

Pagina 7

Topics
• Rainwater harvesting (RWH) for food security.

• RWH to combat desertification.

• RWH impact on society, the economy, environment, and ecology.

• RWH in health and sanitation concerns and water quality issues.

• Urban use of RWH in mega cities.

• Promotion of RWH through education programs and women participation.

Call for Papers

Papers within the scope of the theme and selected topics for the conference shall be received and evaluated by the Editorial Committee. Titles should be submitted by June 15, 2002.

Abstracts should be between 200 and 300 words and should be submitted by July 30, 2002.

Papers should be submitted by April 15, 2003, and not to exceed 20 pages, double-spaced including text, figures, graphs, maps and photographs in black and white. They may be sent email (free virus) in one of the following computer programs: Word Perfect, Microsoft Word 97 or 2000, or any word processor compatible with IBM PC.

Pagina 8

Starting on September, 27, 2003. 

1) Prehispanic and moderns systems of Water Harvesting in Teotihucan and Mexico Valley (without cost).


Post-Conference Tours (duration: tree days each ) 

1) Basin Lerma-Chapala (Water Harvesting Systems and Watershed Management), Guanajuato, Michoacan and Jalisco states. (approximate cost: $240 USD ).


2) Yucatan Peninsula Water Harvesting Systems, Maya Culture, Campeche, and Cancun, Quintana Roo (approximate cost: $450 USD). 


3) Water Harvesting Systems in Tehuacán, Puebla; Nochistlán y Oaxaca. (approximate cost: $ 240 US dolars ).

Technical land and Turistic Field Trips

Registration Fee
$ 300 USD (non IRCSA members 

$ 20 US will be alloted to IRCSA annual meembership)

$ 250 US (IRCSA members)


VENUE
Mexico City
Camino Real Hotel
Tel.: 01 55 5263 8888 / (0052) 55 5263 

Final

Dr. Manuel Anaya Garduño
IRENAT, Colegio de Posgraduados en Ciencias Agrícolas, 
km 36.5 Carr. México-Texcoco, C.P. 56230 México. 
Tel./Fax/Contest. (595) 1-03-23, (595) 2-02-38, 
58-04-59-38 
e-mail: anayam@colpos.mx


Dr. Jessica Calfoforo Salas
Secretary-General of IRCSA
kspfi@skinet.net 


Dr Andrew Lo
President of IRCSA
ufab0043@ms5.hinet.net
Further Information