IWMI contributed a so-called Challenge Paper on the Water Challenge to the Copenhagen Consensus project (Rijsberman, 2004). Billed as a unique process to prioritize scarce resources to tackle the world’s key challenges, it resulted in a list of priority solutions endorsed by some of the world’s top economists that was widely published and highly influential.
To address each of 10 challenges facing humanity, authors were invited to identify up to five opportunities and analyse their Benefit-Cost-Ratio. Each challenge paper was reviewed and critiqued by two discussants. The list of opportunities was ranked by a panel of eminent economists. The panel decided to rank 17 opportunities (4 as very good; 5 as good; 4 as fair and 4 as bad opportunities).
The Water Challenge paper submitted three opportunities, i.e. (a) community managed water supply and sanitation; (b) small scale water technology for livelihoods; and (c) research on water productivity in food production. All three were all ranked as “good” (6,7 and 8).
The Water Challenge paper was summarized in a full-page article in The Economist (Economics Forum, 13 May 2004). The Copenhagen Consensus results were widely discussed in the world’s top media (The Economist, The New York Times, Science, etc.). The Copenhagen Consensus book has been nominated for “best book of 2004” by The Economist.
Reference: Rijsberman, F. 2004. Sanitation and access to clean water. In: B. Lomborg, ed. Global Crises, Global Solutions. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Pp 498-527.
Enhancing capacity for system transformation
Strengthening and sustaining the enabling environment
Enabling gender and youth inclusion
Brokering knowledge for sustainability
Cultivating scaling preparedness
Fostering scaling partnerships
Co-developing innovation bundles
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 
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 
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 
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 
