International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Institutional Profile
The International Water Management Institute is a nonprofit scientific research organization focusing on the sustainable use of water and land resources in agriculture and on the water needs of developing countries. IWMI works with partners in the South to develop tools and methods to help these countries eradicate poverty through more effective management of their water and land resources.
IWMI's Mission is to improve water and land resources management for food, livelihoods and nature.
The objectives of IWMI's work are to:
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Identify the larger issues related to water management and food security that need to be understood and addressed by governments and policymakers.
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Develop, test and promote management practices and tools that can be used by governments and institutions to manage water and land resources more effectively, and address water scarcity issues.
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Clarify the link between poverty and access to water and to help governments and the research community better understand the specific water-related problems of poor people.
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Help developing countries build their research capacities to deal with water scarcity and related food security issues.
Research Themes
IWMI's research is organized around five themes. The themes were selected based on two criteria 1) they address issues crucial to developing countries, and 2) they comprise areas where IWMI has the resources and expertise to make a significant contribution. The themes are:
Most of SIMA activities fall within the Water, Health and Environment (WHE) theme. Research in WHE focuses on the ways in which water use in agriculture impacts on human health and the environment. The adopted approach is agroecosystem management - where maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem means safeguarding the health of the people relying on it and the wealth of the natural resources it contains. The goals of this work are to put health & environmental issues on the water management agenda and to create tools to better address the health & environmental aspects of water in agriculture.
IWMI has some 10 years of experience in research on malaria, especially in relation to water management. Have a look at our IWMI malaria website.
Offices
IWMI has research projects running in 21 countries in Asia and Africa. Work is coordinated through regional offices located in India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Institute has sub-regional offices in China, Nepal, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Uzbekistan.
Research staff
The Institute has a multidisciplinary approach to water management research. Most of IWMI’s research combines the expertise of economists, agronomists, hydrologists, engineers, sociologists, management specialists and health researchers. The research team is composed of approximately 100 scientists from 16 different countries.
Funding
IWMI is a member of the Future Harvest group of agricultural and environmental research centers. It receives its principal funding from 58 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations known as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) which contribute to poverty eradication.
Contact person for SIMA
Dr. Clifford Mutero - Coordinator CGIAR Systemwide Initiative on Malaria and Agriculture (SIMA) - International Water Management Institute (IWMI) - Private Bag X813, Silverton 0127, South Africa - Phone: +27.12.845.9100 - Fax: +27.12.845.9110 - E-mail: c.mutero@cgiar.org