IWMI in the news
Climate change is one of the most serious crises facing humanity. Not only is it causing a rise in global temperature and increasing extreme weather events, but it is also acting as a catalyst for many other major issues, such as water access and distribution.
Since the 1980s, demand for water has been rising by about 1% every year, while water variability has also increased in many parts of the world. This has driven global water prices up, and today, billions still lack reliable water resources for basic needs. As social and health issues emerge and worsen in places where droughts, floods and water variability get increasingly frequent, innovative water management solutions become key to the survival of many communities.
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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