By ABID Siddique CHAUDHRY TWA ___ Akhtar Hameed Khan National Centre for Rural Development (AHKNCRD), Islamabad is an apex training/capacity building institute of the country and an Attached Department of Establishment Division, Government of Pakistan. It is also the Link Institution to work with an inter-governmental organization named African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO). AARDO is responsible for promoting the cause of rural development and poverty alleviation in the 33 full and associate member countries of Asia and Africa. Its headquarter is based at New Delhi, India. Of its six Regional Offices, the Regional Office for South & Central Asia is situated in Pakistan, at NCRD. NCRD has been conducting collaborative training programmes with AARDO at NCRD since 2012 after it was declared its Centre of Excellence to conduct such capacity building programmes. Once again this year, NCRD is conducting International Training Workshop on “Irrigation System and Water Management” in collaboration with AARDO at NCRD from February 27- March 07, 2024. International participants from 10 Asian and African member countries including Pakistan are attending this training programme. The training programme was inaugurated by the honorable Chief Guest, Mr. Inamullah Khan Dharejo, Secretary, Establishment Division. Dr. Muhammad Nawaz, Additional Secretary, Establishment Division, also graced the event with his presence. The ceremony was attended by members of diplomatic corps, including Abdulraheem Hasan, Deputy Head of Mission from Jordan Embassy and Amb. M. Nyambura Kamau from Kenya High Commission, as well as distinguished guests belonging to various Government departments and nation-building organizations. The inaugural session was also graced by the virtual presence of the Secretary General of AARDO, Dr. Naroj Nardeosingh, and the Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Rami Hamdallah. Chief Guest, Mr. Inamullah Khan Dharejo expressed great honor at the opening of the AARDO-AHKNCRD Collaborative International Training Workshop on “Irrigation System and Water Management.” He welcomed the participants from AARDO member countries and commended the efforts of AARDO officials, especially Dr. Manoj Nardeosingh, for organizing the event in Pakistan. He mentioned that with agriculture at our core, Pakistan faces water stress aggravated by climate change. Government initiatives, including major dam projects like Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu, aim to bolster irrigation systems. He expressed his views that the collaboration promises valuable exchanges of experiences and best practices from across the AARDO countries. Mr. Inamullah expressed a strong presumption that the Training Programme, complemented by in-house sessions and field visits, would provide profound insights to the participants and experts from the AARDO member countries. He expressed gratitude to AARDO for its support and extended appreciation to the participants from member countries, hoping that they embark on the journey to deepen their understanding of irrigation syetem and water management. Welcoming the Chief Guest, AARDO Officials, delegates of the diplomatic corps and the training participants, Mr. Israr Mohammad Khan, Director General NCRD, appraised the participants about the performance and contribution of NCRD for the cause of rural development and poverty alleviation in Pakistan and other AARDO member countries through collaboration with AARDO. He expressed his resolve that NCRD will continue its efforts for bringing improvement in irrigation system and water management. In the end, he stated that NCRD would ensure conducive learning environment and comfortable stay for the participants of the training workshop.