2012 Stockholm Water Prize presented to IWMI
H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented the 2012 Stockholm Water Prize to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) today during a Royal Ceremony held in Stockholm City Hall. The event was held as part of the annual World Water Week in Stockholm.
IWMI, which has its headquarters in Sri Lanka and regional offices across Asia and Africa, was honoured for their pioneering research that has served to improve agriculture water management, enhance food security, protect environmental health and alleviate poverty in developing countries. As the Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, IWMI receives a USD 150,000 prize and a crystal sculpture specially designed and created by Orrefors.
IWMI has been the driving force promoting policies and techniques to help farmers to produce ‘more crop per drop’, and to implement solutions that enable agriculture to cultivate enough food to feed the planet’s growing population with limited water resources.
The Stockholm Water Prize Nominating Committee described the international research institute as “the foremost organisation in agricultural water management”, and credited their work to influence the creation of new policies and investments in agriculture to enable more productive use of water and enhance food security around the world.
Dr. Colin Chartres, Director General of IWMI, received the prize on behalf of the organisation. Upon being handed the prize, he said: “This award really recognises the sustained contributions of IWMI staff and partners over the last 27 years. They have put in a great effort, often under conditions of considerable hardship and have still employed scientific rigour in their work leading to many papers in esteemed journals as well as undoubted on-ground success in combatting food insecurity, poverty and improving natural resources management.”
About the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Founded in 1984, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a nonprofit, scientific research organisation focusing on the sustainable use of land and water resources in agriculture, to benefit poor people in developing countries. IWMI’s mission is “to improve the management of land and water resources for food, livelihoods and the environment.” The Institute has its headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with regional offices across Asia and Africa. IWMI is a CGIAR Consortium Research Centre and works in partnership with developing countries, international and national research institutes, universities and other organizations to develop tools and technologies that contribute to poverty reduction as well as food and livelihood security.
About the Stockholm Water Prize
The Stockholm Water Prize is a global award founded in 1991 and presented annually by the Stockholm International Water Institute to an individual, organisation or institution for outstanding water-related achievements. The Stockholm Water Prize Laureate receives USD 150,000 and a crystal sculpture specially designed and created by Orrefors. Founders of the Stockholm Water Prize are Swedish and international companies in collaboration with the City of Stockholm. They are: Bacardi, Borealis & Borouge, DuPont, ERV, Fujitsu, Grundfos, Hewlett Packard, Kemira, KPMG Sweden, Ragn-Sells, Scandic, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Siemens AG, SJ (Swedish Railways), Snecma/Safran, Uponor, Water Environment Federation, Xylem and Ålandsbanken Sverige. H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is patron of the prize.
