 
 
 
The 6th World Water Forum today announced formal recognition of the 24th regional conference of the ICID (International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage) to be held at the Orleans, France, 14/16 March as a “preparatory event” in the lead-up to the 6th World Water Forum.
The regional conference is organized by AFEID (Association française pour l’eau, l’irrigation et le drainage) the French chapter of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) and co-chair with the FAO of the World Water Forum task force on “water and food security”.
Approximately 200 researchers and irrigation professionals are expected at the two day conference, representing thirty countries from all continents. The conference will deal essentially with developing a set of universal rules for the management of aquifer resources. Case studies and working examples of anthropocentric groundwater resource management, whether physical, economic, legislative or regulatory, will be presented, analyzed and discussed through papers and round table discussions.
At the request of the ICID a parallel workshop on “water and food security” will be hosted to take advantage of the broad international attendance.
The French National Association for Water, Irrigation and Drainage 
 The national association for Water Irrigation and Drainage (AFEID) is a  non-profit association created in 1954, representative of French  expertise on issues of water supply and rural development. The AFEID is  the lead member of the French National Committee of the Regional Process  of the 6th World Water Forum.
Contact:
 Mrs. Chantal Miralles, Project Manager
 afeid@cemagref.fr / tel. +33 (0)467.04.6316
 http://afeid.montpellier.cemagref.fr
The Regional Processes of the 6th World Water Forum
 The 6th World Water Forum has put into place a consultation  process to identify regional issues, develop specific regional goals and  targets and reinforce the visibility of water related issues. The  process which relies on stakeholders worldwide will unfold through a  series of 15 regional meetings and workshops grouped into four major  regions: Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. These meetings  will identify major issues and development issues and serve as a relay  between the World Water Forum and basin committees whose ultimate  responsibility will be to implement solutions in context.
The 6th World Water Forum
 Jointly organized by France, the World Water Council and the City of  Marseille, the 6th World Water Forum will take place between March 12  and 17, 2012. The theme selected for the event is “A Time for Solutions”.  Four worldwide consultation processes have been launched in preparation  of the 6th world forum: political, regional, thematic and local. These  processes are coordinated through the Organizing Committee of the 6th  World Water Forum to produce concrete proposals to address stakeholder  priorities.
Contact
 Claudine Chilinski: +33 (0)6 38 13 1651
 c.chilinski@worldwaterforum6.org