Melvyn Kay is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over forty years' experience in hydraulics and water resources management, particularly in irrigation for food production. He spent ten years with consulting engineers in the Middle East and Africa on major hydraulic works before joining Cranfield University where he became a Senior Lecturer teaching hydraulics and irrigation engineering to international post-graduate students, many of whom were from ‘non-engineering’ backgrounds. Then, he served as Director of Training and Consultancy Services, and was responsible for the development of international training and consultancy contract work at Cranfield University. He now works as an independent consultant on water for food production, capacity development, knowledge transfer in agricultural water development and management for various agencies, such as FAO, GWP, and the World Bank.