Panel Discussion Water Management: Learning from Ancient Wisdom and Traditional Practices 5 April 2016, New Delhi

 ICID recognizes the historical irrigation structures on the lines of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

The type of the structures or facilities to be considered for recognition:  The structure shall be more than 100 years old;  The structures shall fall under the following categories:  Dams (operational largely for irrigation purpose),  Water storage structures such as tanks,  Barrages and other water diversion structures,  Canal Systems  Old waterwheels,  Old shadouf, etc.

 Select and collect information on historical irrigation structures from around the world, understand their significant achievements and gather knowledge about the unique features that have sustained the project for such a long period,  Learn the philosophy and wisdom on sustainable irrigation from these structures, and  Protect/ preserve these historical irrigation structures.

 UNESCO has carried out programs;  World Heritage (WH)  Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH)  Memory of the World (MW)  FAO carries out a program;  Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)  ICID has newly launched a program;  Heritage Irrigation Structures (HIS)

Nature Culture Tangible side (Properties & Structures) Intangible side (Performance & Institutions) GIAHS (Only agriculture) HIS (Only irrigation) ICH Natural WH Cultural WH MW (Only documents) World Water System Heritage (WSH)

 Sustainable management of water requires not only the infrastructure but also appropriate institutions to manage it with due regard to social equity, economic prudence and ecological sustainability  In the past, such institutions evolved through participation of people’s groups and organizations developing regimes and rules  there is a growing realization that people’s participation is essential in the sustainable water resources development and its management

Identifying, giving recognition and preserving the people-centred water management systems, organizations, regimes and rules as intangible water heritage considered to be of outstanding value to humanity that creates coexistent social system for humanity and sound environment.

The program is expected to create a database that includes o data on characteristics of the system with its physical, financial and social context o activities undertaken through the system o its historical development o the wisdom nuggets offered by them

WSH targets systems which many stakeholders created together and have developed through collective activities for over generations and will include o All water management systems as intangible social heritage that serve mankind as well as natural environment systems related to water management Institutions managing water for drinking, agriculture, industries, electricity generation, navigation, preserving ecosystems and fisheries dealing with flood management measures of defence from storm surge controlling waste water from drainage and sanitation o The physical facilities and hardware might have been renewed, renovated and reformed recently for fulfilling necessary functions of water management

To be a part of Global efforts for better Agricultural Water Management Join International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage 48, Nyaya Marg, Chankyapuri New Delhi, INDIA