IWMI in the news
Plastic pollution is currently one of the most pressing environmental issues in the world, as thousands of plastic products produced every day overwhelm countries’ efforts to recycle them. This issue is so worrisome that it has incited efforts to write a global treaty negotiated by the United Nations. Approximately, 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans every year. Pressed to find viable solutions to this ever-growing problem, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) released a study in December 2020, which offered numerous methods and solutions to tackle the plastic pollution crisis in our waters. We spoke to Javier Mateo-Sagasta, Senior Researcher and Coordinator – Water Quality, IWMI, to learn more about the risks of plastic pollution.
Read the full story on smartwatermagazine.com
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