The Eleventh World Food Day Teleconference
October 14, 1994
SHARING WATER: FARMS, CITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS
The title for the 1994 World Food Day satellite teleconference is
Sharing Water: Farms, Cities and Ecosystems.
While freshwater re-supply is a constant, water use is increasing
rapidly and quality is deteriorating in nearly all world regions.
Even water-rich countries or regions are reaching the historical
stage where abundance is giving way to public policy decisions on
resource allotment and cost sharing. In many water-poor
countries rising population has led to acute shortages --
affecting nearly 300 million people today and perhaps doubling in
the next decade.
Today's water policy debate also pits engineering and technical
fixes to increase availability against a more environmentally
benign approach of conservation, recycling and lifestyle change.
These issues and other water concerns of public access and safety
will be weighed by an international panel of experts (listed
below) during the World Food Day teleconference.
The teleconference will focus especially on the countries of the
Western Hemisphere, and the teleconference discussion will be led
by a distinguished international panel of experts. The telecast
will go to Latin America with simultaneous interpretation from
English into Spanish.
The program will be broadcast live from the studios of George
Washington University in Washington DC, Friday, October 14, from
noon to 3:00 p.m., Eastern time. There are no restrictions on
videotaping. Although World Food Day is always October 16,
worldwide, the teleconference will be on Friday to accommodate
campus calendars.
1994 WORLD FOOD DAY TELECONFERENCE PANEL
Jose Felix Alfaro -- International consultant in water resource
planning, development and evaluation. Dr. Alfaro, a native of
Peru, is the author of more than 90 major studies, reports and
manuals on various aspects of water use in agriculture. He has
served as a consultant to the governments of USA, China, Brazil
and many other countries, the World Bank, FAO and other
international agencies. He received his doctorate from Utah
State University. Prof. Alfaro has been a tenured professor at
New Mexico State University and Utah State University and also
has been a visiting professor at the Institute Agronomique
Mediterraneen in Montpellier, France and Bari, Italy.
Sandra Postel -- Director of The Global Water Policy Project in
Cambridge, Massachusetts and Adjunct Professor of International
Environmental Policy at Tufts University. Ms. Postel was Vice
President for Research at the WorldWatch Institute in Washington
D.C. She was coauthor of all 11 of the Institute's State of the
World reports and is the author of the book, 'The Last Oasis:
Facing Water Scarcity,' chosen by CHOICE, a magazine for
educators, as one of the outstanding academic books of 1993. Ms.
Postel studied geology and political science at Wittenberg
University and resource economics and policy at Duke University.
Rita Schmidt Sudman -- Executive Director of the Water Education
Foundation in Sacramento, California and editor of the magazine
'Western Water." Ms. Sudman is responsible for the Foundation's
many publications, press briefings and programs with schools.
She recently chaired the Advisory Committee for the
Emmy-nominated PBS special 'To Quench a Thirst' narrated by Roger
Mudd. She currently serves on the steering committee of the
National Groundwater Education Consortium and the board of
directors of the University of California Water Resources Center.
She holds a master's degree from San Diego State University.
Hans W. Wolter -- Chief of the Water Resources Development and
Management Service of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in
Rome, Italy. A native of Germany, Dr. Wolter joined FAO after
serving several years with the World Bank where he worked on
modernization of irrigation systems with field work concentrated
in Mexico,India and China. In the 197Os he served as a technical
advisor with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation and
worked extensively on projects in Africa. Dr. Wolter's
particular interest is in providing technological innovations to
developing countries. He received his doctorate from the
Technical University of Hannover, Germany.
Moderator --
Alex Chadwick -- National Public Radio reporter, producer and
program host. Mr. Chadwick, who first joined NPR in 1977, now
reports regularly for the morning news magazine program "Morning
Edition" as well as serving as guest host for "All Things
Considered" and "Weekend Edition." He is also co-host of "Radio
Expeditions," a series of documentaries produced by NPR and the
National Geographic Society. He has twice been awarded the
Lowell Thomas Award from the Overseas Press Club, for reports
from Vietnam and Czechoslovakia and also received the Major
Armstrong Award for documentaries. He is a graduate of American
University in Washington D.C.
For additional information on the World Food Day Teleconference
or other World Food Day resources, please contact Patricia Young,
National Coordinator.
U.S. National Committee for World Food Day
1001 22nd Street NW Washington DC 20437
Tel.202-653-2404 Fax 202-663-5760
Source: U.S. National Committee for World Food Day
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