The theme for this year’s World Water Day, is “Water and Jobs”. From reversing the over-abstraction of groundwater, to improving the water productivity of irrigation systems across Asia and Africa, the relationship between water and productive livelihoods underpins much of IWMI’s research. Almost half of the world’s workers – 1.5 billion people – work in water related sectors and nearly all jobs depend on water and those that ensure its safe delivery. To mark World Water Day, we are highlighting the part water plays in people’s productive lives, and how IWMI’s work in water management research can provide evidence-based solutions to sustainably manage water and land resources for food security, people’s livelihoods and the environment.
“We consider the efficiency of water in producing crops and the virtual water embedded in trade. It is time now to think more about the influence of water investments on jobs and social stability.”
— Jeremy Bird, Director General of the International Water Management Institute
Better water, better jobs
What is the link between jobs and water?
Can floods be turned into jobs?
If some of this excess water could be stored underground this might help mitigate the negative impacts of inundation and provide a convenient store of water for use by farmers during dry periods.