Messages from the Field
From July 2008, every two weeks we will publish a "message from the field" that has been previously published in the book "Water Education for a Changing World, Messages from Alumni in the Field", made on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of UNESCO-IHE.
The stories present the personal and professional experiences of UNESCO-IHE alumni from all continents.The alumni “tell their stories”, on how they apply the knowledge gained, help to transform water management and continue to develop as professionals after leaving the institute.
The case studies illustrate the very topics of the symposium “Water for a Changing World – Enhancing Local Knowledge and Capacity”, held in Delft, 13-15 June 2007. The symposium was the highlight of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of UNESCO-IHE. These “messages” provided food for thought in formulating the symposium recommendations.
These stories document the challenges faced by many alumni when returning to their home country with new skills and, equally importantly, new attitudes. The messages present the diversity of real outcomes possible in this situation from success stories to stories which document the obstacles to innovation in many countries.
As a member of the UNESCO-IHE alumni, and 14 years after my graduation date, it is such pleasure to look back and think about how this institution impacted my career, and as a result how I have been able to contribute to the improvement of quality of life of developing countries.
Brazil may be one of the richest countries in the world in terms of water resources, but many of its regions – not necessarily the poor ones – already face a grave water crisis.
I write this paper in appreciation of the emerging recognition of local action, which I believe is the cornerstone of any development effort, and also recognizing that the water sector is a single key input to human development.
I had the opportunity to travel to Sardegna, Italy on October, 2000, to work on a Research Project related to irrigation issues, which had been developed together with several International Institutions. This travel provided a wonderful possibility for me to visit again UNESCO-IHE in Delft. Thi...
This story presents aspects of local development, augmented by knowledge enhancement, application and sharing, in the region of Ribeirão Grande, state of São Paulo, Brazil.
I am an Irrigation Engineer in the Irrigation Department (ID), the national organization responsible for managing 250 reservoirs and related irrigation systems.
The main responsibility of the ID is to fulfil the demand for irrigation water, mainly for paddy cultivation. Our reservoirs also...