Dr Gerhard R Backeberg, Director for Water Utilisation in Agriculture at the Water Research Commission (WRC), has been elected as Vice President of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). He was elected during the International Executive Council (IEC) meeting held in Tehran, Iran, on 22 October 2011.  

Dr Backeberg has played a significant role in research leadership and project management on a range of issues regarding agricultural water management, starting as far back as 1995. Dr Backeberg’s strategic focus is on improving knowledge of the biological, technical and economic processes for efficient water use and food production; improving knowledge for effective management of water by people in the food value chain; and improving knowledge of natural processes and people-induced impacts of water resource use. 

The South African National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (SANCID) nominated Dr Backeberg for the ICID Vice Presidency. He has played a number of leading roles as a member of SANCID. Amongst many other activities, he has represented the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) since the establishment of SANCID in 1992/1993. Dr Backeberg also occupied positions as Treasurer, Vice-Chairman, and Chairman within SANCID.

Dr Backeberg is not new to the international arena, having participated in various ICID activities since the 1999 Congress held in Spain. He has also served as Vice Chairman of the Working Group (WG) on Irrigated Agriculture under Drought and Water Scarcity (WG: IADWS), with contributions to activities of the WG as representative of South Africa in the period from 2002 to 2007. He also represented South Africa on the IEC of ICID between 2003 and 2008. He was elected as Chairman of the Task Force on Financing Water for Agriculture (TF: FIN), and was responsible for the organisation of international workshops at ICID meetings held in New Delhi and Yogyakarta, and for the presentation of papers at various ICID  workshops and conferences as a representative of South Africa (2003 to date).

As Vice President of ICID, Dr Backeberg will work with the Secretary-General and with the team of nine other office bearers representing their respective regions.  Other newly-appointed Vice Presidents include Dr Adama Sangare, Mali, and Prof. Kim Tai-Cheol, Korea.

“As a newly elected South African office bearer, it will be important for me to start mobilising the inactive member countries in Africa, with facilitation by both Southern African Regional Irrigation Association (SARIA) and Western African Regional Association for Irrigation and Drainage (ARID) as well as representatives of eastern and northern Africa” says Dr Backeberg.

contact: gerhardb@wrc.org.za