Conference Proceedings

As a part of the Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) initiative’s holistic food systems approach, IWMI led a study tracing the historical evolution of food systems in the state of Odisha, India. The expert consultation aimed to solicit views on framing and situating the historical study within the current food systems-related discussions. The study is conducted by Dr. Anindita Sarkar, Delhi University. Stakeholders offered substantial feedback on increasing the geographical and community scope of the study, important timelines to include, and relevant issues of the local agrifood system relevant for the region.

As a part of the Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) initiative’s holistic food systems approach, IWMI led a study tracing the historical evolution of food systems in Nepal. The expert consultation aimed to solicit views on framing and situating the historical study within the current food systems-related discussions. The study is conducted by Dr. Fraser Sugden from the University of Birmingham, Dr. Suresh Dhakal and Dr. Janak Rai from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. Stakeholders offered substantial feedback on increasing the geographical and community scope of the study, important timelines to include, and relevant issues of the local agrifood system relevant for the region.

The One-CGIAR initiatives for Mitigate+: Research for Low-Emission Food Systems (Mitigate+) and Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) jointly organised a virtual training workshop on Systematic Review Methods for CGIAR scientists to build capacities in concepts and tools of evidence synthesis. The workshop covered a 12-hour course module in 3-hour sessions across four days from across CGIAR centres, particularly focussed on scientists and researchers working on systematic scoping reviews. This was organized considering that multiple systematic scoping reviews had been planned or were ongoing in the two host initiatives as well as other CGIAR initiatives, making this effort for capacity building of researchers timely.

International Water Management Institute (IWMI) brought together in collaboration the CGIAR initiative “Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia” (TAFSSA), the “Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience” (SoLAR) project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and CGIAR initiative MITIGATE+ for organizing a national stakeholder workshop in Bangladesh in partnership with the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) and NGO Forum. The aim was to facilitate deliberations and develop a better understanding of challenges such as replacing diesel with solar irrigation pumps, the consequences of rapid electrification on the groundwater market, and the threat to groundwater sustainability posed by cheaper irrigation. Based on this the workshop envisages strengthening the policy research on the challenges and opportunities of Bangladeshapos;s evolving groundwater irrigation sector.

This is the first volume on the proceedings of the national conference on ‘Water for Food and Environment’, which was held from June 9–11, 2009 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The volumes two and three have been produced as separate documents of this report series. In response to a call for abstracts, 81 abstracts were received from government institutes dealing with water resources and agriculture development, also from universities, other freelance researchers and researchers from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).; Forty Seven of the eighty-one abstracts that were submitted were accepted for compiling full papers.; In the past couple of years the sharp increase in food prices worldwide has raised serious concerns about food security, especially in developing countries. To effectively address these concerns a holistic approach is required that encompasses improved agricultural water productivity, adaptation to climate change, targeted and appropriate institutional and financial measures, and a consideration of environmental issues. The main purpose of the conference was to share experiences in these areas and to find opportunities to improve farmers’ incomes and food production, and to promote environmentally sustainable practices in Sri Lanka in the face of growing water scarcity and the challenges of climate change.

This is the second volume of the proceedings of the National Conference on ‘Water for Food and Environment’, which was held from June 9 –11, 2009 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The volumes 1 and 3 have been produced as separate documents of this report series. In response to a call for abstracts, 81 abstracts were received from government institutes dealing with water resources and agriculture development, universities, other freelance researchers and researchers from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Forty seven of the eighty-one abstracts that were submitted were accepted for compiling full papers.; In the past couple of years the sharp increase in food prices worldwide has raised serious concerns about food security, especially in developing countries. To effectively address these concerns a holistic approach is required that encompasses improved agricultural water productivity, adaptation to climate change, targeted and appropriate institutional and financial measures, and a consideration of environmental issues. The main purpose of the conference was to share experiences in these areas and to find opportunities to improve farmers’ incomes and food production, and to promote environmentally sustainable practices in Sri Lanka in the face of growing water scarcity and the challenges of climate change.

This is the third volume of the proceedings of the national conference on ‘Water for Food and Environment’, which was held from June 9 –11, 2009 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The volumes 1 and 2 have been produced as separate documents of this report series. In response to a call for abstracts, 81 abstracts were received from government institutes dealing with water resources and agriculture development, universities, other freelance researchers and researchers from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Forty seven of the eighty-one abstracts that were submitted were accepted for compiling full papers.; In the past couple of years the sharp increase in food prices worldwide has raised serious concerns about food security, especially in developing countries. To effectively address these concerns a holistic approach is required that encompasses improved agricultural water productivity, adaptation to climate change, targeted and appropriate institutional and financial measures, and a consideration of environmental issues. The main purpose of the conference was to share experiences in these areas and to find opportunities to improve farmers’ incomes and food production, and to promote environmentally sustainable practices in Sri Lanka in the face of growing water scarcity and the challenges of climate change.

Research in this book is part of the project no. 48, “Strategic Analyses of India’s National River-Linking Project (NRLP)” of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF).

This proceeding provides the papers and discussion results of a two-day workshop that was organized at International Water Management Institute (IWMI) office in Addis Ababa during the period of February 6-8, 2009 in relation to CPWF Project 19 – Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian Highlands and its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile. Short title: Upstream Downstream (USDS) in the Nile. The project is being under implementation during the last one and half years in partnership with various institutions that include International Livestock Research Institute, Cornell University, Omdurman Islamic University-UNESCO Chair in Water Resources, Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University, Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute and Forum for Social Studies. The main aims of the workshop had been: Bring together key stakeholders relevant to the project; Present, debate and validate the intermediate results of the project; Disseminate key results to wider audiences through workshop participating stakeholders; Follow up on the progress of the project and plan remaining tasks of the project. The workshop focus themes were: General characterization of the Blue Nile Basin; Watershed modeling and analysis; Water demand and allocation modeling and simulation; Policy and institutions of the water management in the Blue Nile basin.

The Case Study Workshop was organized with the objective of obtaining the necessary input the experts on different subject areas of water resources, subject those views and discussion among the stakeholder agencies, and synthesize the information to a report on the case study. The outcome of the Workshop would eventually transform into the contribution of Sri Lanka to the forst WWDR.

Proceedings of the workshop which focused particularly on gender analysis of rights to land and water, the implications of privatization and water markets for womenapos;s access to resources, how women (as well as men) can participate fully in collective action projects and the relation between problems like water scarcity and pollution, multiple uses of water in irrigation systems and gender.