Danish Expert Delivers Fresh Water Thinking

Danish Expert Delivers Fresh Thinking In Water Management

The world’s limited water resources are increasingly under stress. The potential use for productive and non-productive purposes is severely restricted because of limited water availability and decreasing water quality. Ecosystems are under threat and climate change adds to these challenges that have far-reaching consequences for the livelihood of an increasing population.

Looking to the future of irrigation and its role in food and fibre production and its interaction with the environment is the key focus of the upcoming Irrigation NZ Conference and Expo.

The Christchurch Convention Centre will be host to New Zealand’s largest irrigation event as Irrigation NZ brings the industry together to highlight cutting edge information from national and international professionals in fields of practice, policy and research in a challenging three days of conference and expo activity.

This major industry event is a golden opportunity to get off the farm and away from work to network with the some of New Zealand’s and the world’s best farmers and water industry business people. The conference is a unique chance to be involved in a forum of learning and discussion with the view to future proofing your business alongside like-minded industry players.

Real life experiences of leading national and international keynote speakers with inspirational presentations will address face to face practical experiences covering the latest successful developments in irrigation and water resource management that will deliver ‘fresh thinking’ for optimal water management in New Zealand’s economic future.

Danish-based Jesper Kjelds director of business development, DHI Denmark, will feature in the conference programme as the keynote presenter in the ‘Optimising Demand Management’ session. An independent international consulting and research organisation DHI advances technological development, governance and competence in the fields of water, environment and health, offering a wide range of services and leading edge technologies.

DHI works with governmental agencies and authorities, contractors, consulting companies and a wide range of industries with more than 900 employees working worldwide.

Jesper Kjelds initially started his work with DHI in Denmark before moving to the US to start up DHI’s operations in North America that proved very receptive to the integrated water modelling technology that was successfully applied to such diverse areas as the restoration of the Napa Salt Marsh, water use and allocation in Cape Fear and surface groundwater management projects in South Florida.

Kjelds returned to Denmark in 2006 where he has developed DHI’s real time forecasting and decision support systems overseeing rapid growth of these technologies and applications to major irrigation and water management projects in South Africa, India and the Nile Valley.

Canterbury’s Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation scheme is a ‘close to home’ model of a developing DHI water management project where facilitation of stakeholder involvement is a key component in the policy development and implementation processes based on water policy that strives to be a trusted partner providing advice from the strategy level to action plan implementation.

DHI Water Policy’s expertise has been highly appreciated by the international community and DHI Water Policy has been designated Advisory Centre for Global Water Partnership and Collaborating Centre for United Nations Environment Programme.

This 2010 irrigation industry event is a must for everyone serious about the future of irrigated agriculture and New Zealand’s economic future.

The biennial conference is a key vehicle used by Irrigation NZ to bring together farmers and interest groups to debate relevant industry issues.

Check out the full conference programme, more information and register now at www.irrigationnz.co.nz/events/inz-conference

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