Today we delve into the world of water management in the agricultural sector. BKT Network’s host, Adrian, leads an engaging discussion with a panel of experts: Nicholas Brozovich, Zac Gazit, Dr Asad Qureshi, and Adriano Battilani. The episode unfolds with intriguing insights and eye-opening revelations, leaving viewers pondering the future of sustainable farming practices.
Nicholas - Director of Policy at The Daugherty Institute's - sets the stage for the discussions, emphasizing the urgency for immediate action. Dr Asad’s groundbreaking work showcases academia's role in reshaping water resource perspectives. The question arises: why has it taken so long to consider wastewater as a valuable resource? The need to revolutionize water usage becomes evident.
Zac’s expertise brings technology into focus, highlighting its potential impact on agricultural water management. This sparks the ultimate question posed by Adrian to the experts: What's the single most effective measure we can take today to ensure food production without compromising the environment? With new knowledge, innovative technology, and coordinated efforts, our experts embark on a mission to create a brighter, greener future for the agricultural industry.
Join us in this thought-provoking journey as we uncover the secrets to revolutionizing water management in agriculture and discover the power we hold to safeguard our natural resources for generations to come.
Find the full episode on ‘Water Use in Agriculture’ here.
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Nicholas Brozovic -
Zac Gazit -
Asad Sarwar Qureshi -
Adriano Battilani
- Agriculture is the world's biggest user of freshwater, consuming more than two-thirds of the world's fresh water.
- Food production needs to increase by around 60% by 2050 to feed the growing population, but there is only around 10% more water available for agriculture.
- Of the 1.4 billion cubic kilometers of water in the world, only 0.003% is available for drinking, hygiene, industry, and agriculture.
He has over twenty years of experience working on water management issues worldwide. Nicholas strives to influence the way managers, decision makers and funders view and implement policies to sustain water use in agriculture. He and his team partner with many kinds of stakeholders to understand, test and validate new technologies and business models. He has mentored a growing community of students and young professionals dedicated to improving water and food security globally.
Zac Gazit is constantly looking for ways to combine his passion for technology and innovation with his desire to make our world a better place. His experience in developing and growing high technology companies and his work with internationally renowned companies led him to start ALVÁTECH, an award winning AgTech company that is rapidly growing worldwide. Zac is a keen advocate of green change and is working with governments and organizations to make a global impact and form a green legacy.
Before joining the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in 2014, he worked at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in different scientific and management capacities in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Central Asia, and Bangladesh. He has about 30 years of experience in action research aimed at finding agronomic and engineering solutions geared towards mitigating the incipient water logging and salinity problems of irrigated areas and developing conservation strategies for the water-scarce regions of the Middle East, South Asia, Africa and Central Asia.
A member of the Director’s staff and appointed representative by EU Institutions and international organizations of the Italian National Association of Land protection and Irrigation Consortia (ANBI), and a member of the Board of Directors of the Euro-Mediterrannean Irrigators Community (EIC). He has more than 40 years of experience as researcher and project manager in the fields of irrigation, fertigation and cropping system’s sustainability. Since 1990, he has been involved as principal scientist in EU research projects and as scientific responsible for projects financed by public bodies and private institutions, industries and stakeholders.
