4th Quarter 2005
Irrigating
the World

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Chairman's Message
Supporting Irrigation Around the World
River Basin and Watershed Management
 
Derish Wolff, Chairman
Derish Wolff
Chairman

Chairman’s Message

Water is a basic building block of life. Although two-thirds of the planet is covered by water, only one percent is fresh and must serve a myriad of uses, including drinking water, irrigation, industrial uses, sanitation and river habitat preservation. One of the primary uses of water is irrigation, which accounts for two-thirds of the world's fresh water use. Allocating this scarce resource is a daunting challenge for governments, environmentalists, water resource managers and concerned citizens.

The new century will bring increasing challenges for water providers. The United Nations warns that by 2025, 2.7 billion people will face severe water shortages, while another 2.5 billion will live in water deficient areas. But the news isn't all bad. Growing worldwide awareness has encouraged improved water preservation programs, better irrigation techniques and comprehensive river basin management programs. The Berger Group has been at the forefront of many of these initiatives, assisting farmers and water users associations in introducing cost-effective and efficient irrigation systems and promoting sophisticated multi-use water management systems and innovative conservation technologies. Currently, Berger is working with a number of nations, including Armenia, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam to improve irrigation systems. Many of these nations have an attractive irrigation potential which is currently underutilized. By developing more effective irrigation systems, Berger experts have assisted farmers in increasing food production and food security while improving rural standards of living.

In addition to developing irrigation systems, Berger is also working around the world to protect rivers, a key source of fresh water. For over 40 years, the Berger Group has promoted innovative watershed and river basin management strategies to protect thriving ecosystems while improving irrigation, sanitation and potable water supplies.

Water clearly provides an important challenge for the new millennium. The Berger Group is proud to provide our clients with comprehensive, cost-effective and well-considered solutions for the diverse issues involved in water management.