March 22 is World Water Day. Many countries today face physical water scarcity and as their economies develop and grow, emerging issues include water availability, competition between different users and the human and environmental implications of lack of water. IWMI is carrying out research to find solutions to help developing countries adapt to future water challenges and reduce poverty. Access to water can make all the difference.
World Water Day Poster: Water Fights Poverty
Download and print the World Water Day Poster jointly produced by IWMI and Brandix (Lanka) as part of an awareness creation program. Brandix is a leading manufacturer and exporter of apparel and accessories. Water is their area of Corporate Social Responsibility, and they are engaged in community programs to help people have better access to water. Brandix is using this poster to create awareness of water issues in rural schools and in its factories around  Sri Lanka.
Download the poster [English 187KB] [Sinhala 198KB]
Source: http://www.iwmi.org
Population pressure and increasing water competition in a changing climate require us to take stock of the availability and use of water across scales. Water availability not only influences farmers’ commercial prospects but also irrigation-related enterprises and agri-businesses. Greater water scarcity could jeopardize irrigation and agricultural markets while excessive water use can lead to declining ecosystems, water quality and soil health. IWMI advises development partners and the public and private sectors on all aspects of water resource availability and use through a variety of advanced modeling and remote-sensing products and tools, including 
The ability of farmers to engage in or expand irrigation depends on the prevailing socioeconomic, ecological and political contexts, which are often complex, non-linear and changeable. Overcoming systemic barriers to farmer-led irrigation development while taking advantage of existing opportunities 
A lack of affordable credit, particularly for women and resource-poor farmers, is one of the main barriers to expanding farmer-led irrigation in low- and middle-income countries. But 
Scaling farmer-led irrigation requires strengthening human capacity and knowledge exchange among all actors and stakeholders involved. IWMI takes an action research approach, working with national and international research institutions, governments, extension agents and public and private organizations to co-develop the scaling ecosystem and strengthen capacity to drive scaling networks and collective action. We support the