Heavy snow in Tehran, Jan. 2008

West gate of Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands (RIFR), 6 Jan. 2008 (Photo has taken by Dr. M. Jafari)

Dear scientists and friends

Agricultural systems depend fundamentally on ecological processes and on the services provided by many ecosystems. These ecological processes and services are crucial for supporting and enhancing human well-being. Ecosystems support agriculture, produce fiber and fuel, regulate freshwater, purify wastewater and detoxify wastes, regulate climate, provide protection from storms, mitigate erosion, and offer cultural benefits, including significant aesthetic, educational, and spiritual benefits.

Recently a book entitled "Water for Food, Water for Life" was published by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), UK. It is a comprehensive and useful publication for all scientists especially for those are interesting on water and food.

The book includes 4 parts and 16 chapters. I had chance to participate in this valuable work as reviewer of chapter 6. Chapter 6: Agriculture, water, and ecosystems: avoiding the costs of going too far can be downloaded in following address:

Water for Food Water for Life/Ecosystems

https://books.google.com/books?isbn=113654853X 

Regards and enjoy reading,

Mostafa Jafari

Contents of the book:

Summary for Decision makers

Part I: Setting the Scene

Setting the Scene

Part II: Trends and Scenarios

- Trends in Water and Agricultural Development

- Looking Ahead to 2050: Scenarios of Alternative Investment Approaches

Part III: Integrating Issues

- Reversing the Flow: Agricultural Water Management Pathways for Poverty Reduction

- Policy and Institutional Reform: the Art of the Possible

- Agriculture, Water, and Ecosystems: Avoiding the Costs of Going Too Far

- Pathways for Increasing Agricultural Water Productivity

Part IV: Thematic Issues

- Managing Water in Rain fed Agriculture

- Reinventing Irrigation

- Groundwater: A Global Assessment of Scale and Significance

- Agricultural Use of Marginal-Quality Water-Opportunities and Challenges

- Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture

- Water and Livestock for Human Development

- Rice: Feeding the Billions

- Conserving Land-Protecting Water

- River Basin Development and Management

- Summary:

Summary_Synthesis

Bibliographic details:

Book title: Water for Food, Water for Life

Edited by: David Molden, Earthscan, London and International Water Management Colombo: Institute, 2007

Published by: IWMI (the International Water Management Institute), UK

Paperback £34.95 ISBN 1844073963 / 9781844073962

Hardback £95.00 ISBN 1844073971 / 9781844073979

Publication date: February 2007

664 pages; 244 x 172mm; Full-colour, photographs, maps, figures, boxes, tables

The suggested citation for the book is:

Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture. 2007.

Water for Food, Water for Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture.

London: Earthscan, and Colombo: International Water Management Institute.