A) Be a partner in a global Mega Program on finding solutions to water scarcity
and land degradation

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a consortium of 15 international agricultural research centers, is aligning its global research under seven consortium research programs on poverty reduction, food security and environmental sustainability.

IWMI will be leading one of those programs, Water, Land and Ecosystems. This global research initiative addresses three key challenges:
i)   water scarcity,
ii)  land degradation, and
iii) loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity.

Be a partner and help guide research to solve real problems.

The program, Water, Land and Ecosystems, focuses on geographically defined 'best bet' solutions that will reach 200 million people over 20 years. The research and solutions will include:

For more information : www.iwmi.org/CRP5

B) Be a founding member of a new Trust Fund focused on water management

IWMI plans to establish a Trust Fund for Research and Capacity Building.

The research program on Water, Land and Ecosystems identifies the broad areas where research and capacity building investments would yield measurable returns in terms of development and growth.

Contributions will be recognized in all outputs emanating from the projects that are supported by the Trust Fund. A separate flyer providing details of the Trust Fund is available.

For more information : Download the Trust Fund Flyer [PDF 1MB]

A) Targeted efforts to accelerate the uptake of agricultural water management solutions

The results of years of scientific research are being collated, and key messages and solutions are being drawn from it. Strategies will then be developed to accelerate the uptake of these science-backed results and recommendations.

This will involve influencing and assisting policymakers through to helping achieve better on-farm land and water
management. Relationship building, capacity building, knowledge sharing events and information products are just some of the tools and activities that will be used to achieve this.

The first program is being conducted in India to accelerate the uptake of agricultural water management policies and
technologies. This uptake initiative will be expanded to other areas of Asia and also Africa.

B) Revitalize irrigation in Asia through supporting a knowledge hub on irrigation

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has asked IWMI to work with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to build network links and provide channels to make it easier for industry and research and development organizations to share information on irrigation water management. This initiative is currently being conceptualized and developed.

Next steps for communicating the water message

IWMI has built a strong reputation for scientific credibility internationally and among a wide variety of national and local governments, universities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We would like to capitalize on this to communicate messages about sustainable water management on a sound and credible scientific basis. We are looking for the right partners to help create global communication campaigns.

Where is water placed on the global agenda?

We know that water is viewed as an important resource that needs to be managed. Governments, the general public, NGOs, the media and other groups all recognize that they have a role to play in managing water.

However, has water reached the level needed to get the action needed?

Current events like extreme weather conditions including floods, and before this, extended droughts have brought more attention to the need to manage water resources. Will this attention be short lived until the next media-worthy event takes place?

Rising populations and the need to grow more food with less land and water, is a problem that has not yet been solved. It is also a problem that has not made it to the priority list of issues in the same way as, for example, climate change. It has been predicted that the next war will be over water resources.

The need and opportunity

We believe that there is a need and a great opportunity to elevate water-related issues onto the global agenda and to the general public worldwide.

A suggested approach

1. Review: where water is currently 'positioned' on key agendas; and perceptions of governments and selected public groups.
2. Determine the key messages and set targets for the awareness and understanding that needs to change as well as global agendas that need to be influenced.
3. Develop a new and creative campaign to achieve this. This could be inspired by the 'Al Gore campaign on climate change' - looking for approaches that are creative, personal and backed up by the science.

Scientific research can be undertaken to help companies manage land and water resources sustainably

IWMI suggests a three-step approach to achieve this:

1) Determine the impact on existing resources and society

It is not enough to just measure your water footprint - you need to understand what this means locally to the economic, environmental and social environment. The only way to know the impact of your business operations on land, water and livelihoods is to monitor and evaluate this. IWMI can help you identify appropriate performance indicators, gather and analyze baseline data, and measure the quantitative and qualitative impacts of your operations.

IWMI has many years' experience and a wide variety of tools not only for this analysis but also to help manage water better, including socioeconomic analyses, full cost-benefit analysis, institutional analysis, water productivity analysis, environmental impact analysis, hydrological models, and geographic and remote sensing information systems.

2) Develop solutions for more sustainable practices

IWMI not only has the tools and technologies to develop solutions but also the experience and contacts with government and local organizations, capacity building and processes for effective participatory management.

IWMI also has international experience in integrating gender into a program and ensuring equity. Understanding the gender aspects of agricultural production means that you can harness the knowledge and skills of women and build incentives for women's participation by integrating women's interests into the design and operation of water schemes.

IWMI can also help to develop solutions given the uncertainties of water supplies of surface water and groundwater under conditions of climate change. Rising global temperatures will have an enormous impact on the distribution and availability of water. Modeling can help reduce the uncertainty of those impacts and help your company identify flexible water storage options to ensure your business-and the community you work in-have reliable supplies of clean water.

3) Leverage the work of companies for the greater good of the environment and society

IWMI can assist with the implementation and scaling-up of these solutions amongst society. This can be done through working with farmers, extension networks, development agencies and policymakers.

This can increase productivity gains, increase the positive impacts on people's livelihoods, improve equity in the societies
and have less environmental damage.

IWMI is an independent international not-for-profit organization with a mandate to undertake scientific research to improve the management of land and water resources for food, livelihoods and the environment with particular emphasis on the poor.

For 25 years, IWMI has been bringing together multidisciplinary teams of physical and social scientists and policymakers to improve water use and management.

IWMI's contributions to a partnership include:

Scientific credibility
A leader in water management in agriculture
Capacity to bring together hard science, socioeconomics and policy disciplines
An extensive network of partnerships on-the-ground and globally
Access to data, models and tools
A global network of research specialists
Good relationships with national government agencies